RMLincoln

Happy Presidents’ Day, mostly for George Washington’s Birthday which is the 22nd, truly Father of the US who held it together as it was being born. Looks like a nice day and week coming to Maryland. Today is laundry day and packing the gazillion little things, tomorrow is packing all the rest of it! Wednesday we begin the long drive to Ft Lauderdale but breaking it into 3 days should make it pretty easy. Looks like good weather for all the family’s airports for our gathering Friday. Thanks all for the good wishes. UPDATE: Son received his passport, Yay! Not sure when exactly but we finally got word from his wife yesterday. Whew! @grapau27 Condolences to Sarah on losing a close friend. Not everybody who dies is old. It’s impressive how he turned his illness into a gift for so many. What courage and heart! @luvteaching Karen, Sounds like you and DH are making great progress, one day at a time. Hoping he can be released before your Medicare days run out! 🙏 Roy, we feel you’re on a good trend getting stronger! 🙏 for that trend to continue. @ottahand7Nancy, hoping your house is undamaged. Enjoy the rest of your cruise. Thank for tge many pictures, great memories! @StLouisCruisers Glad you’re home safe. Thanks for sharing your cruise with us. @kazu Jacqui you are inspiring looking beyond the ice and snow to planting bulbs! And one-armed! Blessings on your claims and your elbow. @erewhonWe are really jolted to hear of the staggering losses in NZ. 🙏 for the families and for the rescuers. Keep us posted as your news unfolds. Here it gets buried by so much other devastating news in the world. We loved our time in NZ, and being with such warm and caring people! Thanks to all the contributors here, making this uplifting, safe place happen. Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope near to us and around the world. 🎉Cheers to all celebrating milestones and good happenings in their lives! We need to remember that Life is Good. Thanks for adding us to the care rotation for DHs eye situation. It’s very troubling but I try to be grateful always, it helps ground me. I’m helping him with his new preservative-free eye drops three times a day- they come in individual dose ampules which don’t clip into the old dropper bottle alignment appliance, so it’s harder for him to administer himself as he can’t really see that close in, although reading and distance are still good 🙏. We’re hoping the surgery late March (and other eye later on?) will eventually help get him off the meds that are causing the itchy facial dermatitis. That would be a miracle! One day at a time… today is a good day to happy! Maureen

Thank you @JazzyV Vanessa and @Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda for your encouragement and prayers. And to all here for the uplift! Thanks @rafinmd Roy for word that @erewhon posted. Guess I missed sailaway! Decided to vacuum, trying to get things cleaned up a bit before we leave… love checking into clean hotels and the great room stewards on the ships… dislike coming home to the grungies! Maureen.

Saturday arrived with sun, yay! And chilly temps with wind… still February but not bad in Maryland! Thanks to all for this uplifting place in this messy world! Thank you @JazzyV for remembering our upcoming family cruise! Son’s passport tracking still says Out for Delivery…. they fly out Friday 6pm, still hoping it all works, but they did get the Cancel for Any Reason protection plan. sigh. I’m at the Yikes phase- 4 days before we leave, lots of lists, not much packed! Only 4 more suppers to cook! Nancy, @ottahand7 beautiful sail-in day! Was there in Rio only once, amazing sights but way too congested for me! Still battling a balance of dealing with DH’s sensitivity to his glaucoma meds. Itchy eyes and face continue even with getting 2 of 3 prescriptions in preservative- free versions. Have tried every kind of topical allowed (not allowed steroids). One cream from New Zealand helped some (Manuka honey cream); went through 2 jars, 3rd jar was different texture but same label, doesn’t help. Surgery scheduled March 28 to implant drainage stent to keep pressure lower without meds. Then maybe other eye later? Hoping we can stay well through travels so this surgery can happen. But grateful for every day! Had an elderly friend and neighbor in our mountain community who was adamant that she wanted to die up there. I would say, It’s not the dying that’s the problem, it’s the living…. As her nearest EMS responders, we “ran” on her many times. She’s 90 now, living in town where she can get the support she needs. Blessings for all in need of healing, comfort or hope. So many! And to all those traveling. Bon Voyage to the cruisers heading out today! And congrats to those celebrating! Maureen

I also hope @erewhon checks in and that they are ok. They live on South Island and I think the more deadly issues are on North Island but will feel better knowing. Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. And patience and miracles for anyone struggling through the medical “system”! Sigh. Smooth travels for all away! Rainy and very gray today in Maryland… beats snow and ice! Heard at zoom yoga today of another friend who fell- tore her rotator cuff. We all need to be careful! I guess we’re on the cord… condo supplies it. Had satellite at mountain home in NM, cable I thought was a step up, works even in bad weather, no snow-blowing a path to get to the dishes to clear the snow! I don’t miss that. Barcelona is such a great place to visit. Been three times. Last time there we had found a repositioning cruise westbound to take us home from a trip that was finishing up in England that was cheaper out of Barcelona than cruising out of Southampton, including the flight. NCL Jade, 16 nights Barcelona to Houston. We were there while Catalonia was trying to secede; many balconies displayed “SI” banners, often next to the flag of Spain on the next balcony. We were relieved the port stayed open! No word yet on son’s passport but getting the tracking number was encouraging. Staying hopeful…. m—

Karen, that is so traumatic to experience close-up! It’s a lot to absorb. Happy to hear of your DH’s progress! I’m sure he is very grateful to you through it all! Hang in, one day at a time! Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope! So many… Glimmer of hope on son’s passport: yesterday he got a tracking number! DH and I leave a week from today, driving to Ft Lauderdale. Ship leaves that Saturday, hopefully with our family of 8 aboard - the others are all flying in. Valentine’s Day story: DH and I often exchange multiple cards, a couple of funny ones and a serious, reflective one. Yesterday we found that we each got each other the same serious card! Very grateful for every day together! I’m proud to still have a Susan B Anthony dollar coin. They never took off in the US and didn’t become common. I briefly attended MSU. My heart goes out to all suffering there. As well as elsewhere… so many! Thank you all for this uplifting thread! Time to get some things done before my weekly mentoring call with teens from my NM Fire department. They had 17” of snow, and a 20-car pileup of people trying to get to work before being plowed. Fire department friends said No injuries! But what a mess. A tough environment that I’m glad we don’t have to struggle through anymore. Maryland climate is kind! 60s today. Chamber music concert tonight. Life is good! Be safe… know where you’re putting your feet (I say that for me too!). M—

+ A lotta 💖 shared here! Each one of you, give yourself a hug! Blessings for all in need of healing, comfort or hope. Congrats to all celebrating! Maureen

Congrats to the Chiefs for a nail -biter win. We ate our way through the whole game! Didn’t care for the half-time show, and haven’t in years. We are not the demographic they are projecting to. I do not want to ever change my name again. I can appreciate the women who keep their name throughout their lives. Never been to LeHavre. Hope to see Paris again! Would love to get to Normandy, had family there who survived there, went on to Battle of the Bulge and survived that too! Thanks for all the great pictures posted! I do not care for HAL’s Rustic Lasagna! It’s available most nights on the MDR menu. The only cheese is the layer on top, practically burned. Where’s the ricotta! Not even a bechamel sauce in the middle, which is traditional in some regions. For me it is a poor fall-back choice, too disappointing. Blessings to those seeing pulmonologists soon, and orthopedics and ophthalmologists and others. May the reports be accurate and encouraging…. and to all in need of healing, comfort or hope! Congrats to those celebrating milestones and accomplishment, and the good feeling of new work coming in! 🎉 Smooth travels to all away. Nancy @ottahand7 glad you survived! Protection for the rescuers, and all who need life’s basics: shelter, sanitation, water and food. We count our abundant blessings! Hazy sunshine, breezy and cool here in Maryland today after a dreary, rainy day yesterday, warmer tomorrow. Sunrise is approaching 7am now! Winter is waning! Kayaking weather won’t be too far off! Today is a good day to be happy! M—

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! Whether you root for a team or the commercials, or just enjoy a day of friends, family and food, it’s a great escape of the woes of the world for most of us. Blessings to all in pain, in need of healing, comfort or hope; Protections for all the rescuers; smooth travels for those away from home…. And cheers for all celebrating moving forward through challenges to milestones! Love all the pictures! Some bring grand memories, like Cape Horn (doubt I’ll be there again) and some bring new dreams to light, like Ireland! My grandmother was from Cashel, I never knew her. DH says we’ll get there! Mostly I’m just so grateful we’re here, wherever we are! Had group phone call with the family, working on details for gathering in less than 2 weeks for Rotterdam cruise…. still hoping the passport arrives! But the universe will not end if it doesn’t and all will be well. I recently gave away my penny collection, including its 1909 VDB! I began it in 3rd grade! Passed it and all my other coins along to family after we moved. Feels good to move things forward. Happy birthday to President Lincoln! Thank you! We’ve been up to Gettysburg a couple of times since we moved east. Very impressive and oh so sad. Our nation still suffers but we have made progress. My Irish grandmother was a Kennedy, and now my name is Lincoln! Both presidents murdered. Humbling. Snacks for game time are chips and homemade salsa, guacamole, chile con queso, cheese and crackers. House pizza and salad for main course. Plus, as Gerry @ger_77 would say, “And wine.” Love champagne, we always had a bottle in the frig, just in case! I would like to taste an expensive one sometime just to see it’s so much better 🤣. Having been on many 911 calls for car accidents, I can say that impaired driving is a common cause, but so are medical events. People can temporarily “black out” from many causes. Great to hear no injuries! Always scary! Blessings to all, no matter the weather or the situation, Today is a good day to be happy! Stay safe, stay well! M—

If you have OBC at the end of the cruise, consider applying it to crew gratuities. Guest Relations does it.

Bon Voyage Sandi. Many thanks too!

Checking in. Came to wave goodbye to Sandi….

Thanks for the stunning sunrise pix. And good views of Cape Horn! Beautiful. Today is laundry and cleaning day, and prepping for a friend coming tomorrow for Super Bowl. Tooth is calming down after Wednesday’s new crown. Will try granola again. Tomorrow is group call with family to get some plans for airport pick-ups to the rental house in Ft Lauderdale the day before 8 of us begin our family Rotterdam cruise. We’ll drive 3 days, they will all fly in. 2 weeks! Still hoping DS’s passport arrives! Blessings for all in need of healing, comfort or hope “here” and afar. Cheers for all celebrating. Life is good! Happy for you Nancy getting back into your cabin. Hoping the air is not unhealthy for you. Bon Voyage Sandi! Smooth travels to all away from home. Yesterday was lovely in Maryland, did last grocery shopping before we leave. Today is cooler and mostly cloudy but not bad for February! We’ll take it. May we all be well! Maureen

Dressy night menus will likely have shrimp cocktail or escargot, a better beef cut, lamb chops, a better fish offering. Maybe a fancier dessert. They tend to be on the first full sea day and a sea day toward the end of the cruise but not night of embarkation nor the last night. Photographers will be out in full force taking portrait type pix of folks while they are dressed up. They will have stations with backdrop screens and lighting. No charge for getting your picture taken, then go see them in the photo shop a decide if you’d like to purchase them, prices vary, sometimes there are combo packages. Maybe $25 for a full size print. Photographers might come around the dining room offering to take your pictures. Enjoy Alaska! That was our first cruise, hooked us! m—

We’re boarding Feb 25. Wondering if they’ve shown the new Too Gun Maverick movie. We saw it on Eurodam in December in Main Stage theater. Would love to see it again. Thought maybe they’d have it at the pool but I haven’t seen it listed. Thanks for posting all the Dailys. Have a great last segment!

We’re with you Kathi, every step of the way. Thank you for the update! Maureen

Stunning picture. Great memories. Smooth sailing for our WCers.

🙏 all in need of healing, comfort or hope. 🎉 for all celebrating. Life is good. On days that don’t feel like it, answer the question, What’s good right now? Tooth ache day? I spend yesterday afternoon in dentists chair, came home with a freshly made replacement crown. Sore today but glad they can really do these things. Pizza with be the superbowl supper. Great to hear from Kathi! 🙏 continue. Easy does it Roy! Easy does it Jacqui! And all managing with challenges. Paul. Sarah. Joy. Annie and DH. Others…. My heart and prayers even if I can’t get the names all matched up. 💖 🚢. Smooth cruises, even with challenges! 🚘. Safe journey Sandi, many thanks for all you’ve juggled for us! Love the pix! Thanks to you all for your loving care and support. m— Still no passport for DS.. yet. 🤞needed 2-25!

So good to hear something about Kathi. Thanks @HAL Sailerfor your efforts working through Pete. We’ll continue to be with her in spirit. Maureen

As others have said, a lot of the noise is people at tables. But the servers areas on Koningsdam are large and few. But they generate a constant noise level of clatter. I have never experienced this before. From what OP was told, Rotterdam has more server areas and maybe that will help. m—

@iflyrc5 thanks for all your posts! Boarding Feb 25. Haven’t heard Cantare yet, was hoping. More especially hoping Lincoln Center Stage quartet is still doing almost-daily concerts. But if that has changed we’ll be ok hanging out with family! I think when the entertainment shifts Lincoln Center quartet to a main stage show, it won’t be worth it to us to make the extended trip to Florida for a HAL cruise…. we’ll likely cruise out of closer ports for pleasant getaway trips. Too bad, I like HAL but without the music it’s just not so different or better…. I can enjoy a balcony on a different line instead. But very excited to be cruising with the family this time! There’ll be 8 of us! Probably never happen again so it’ll be grand! m—

Oh how excellent Karen! We’ll pray it keeps going! Thanks for the report!

Ouch! Plural space is the space outside the lung sack. The space needs to be clear so the lungs can expand and contract easily. Fractures can be hairline cracks that can close up, or displacements which are harder to close. I hope you get proper guidance on a path of how best to deal with these for long term healing. 🙏. —M. anterior = to the body front, lateral = to the side

Greetings Dailyites! So good to check in with you all. Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort or hope. And smooth travels to all those away from home. Can’t begin to imagine the needs in Turkey or Urkrine… prayers for miracles there and wherever needed! I was in Boy Scouts longer than either of my step-sons because I followed them both through the whole process. Was the only mom on some of the winter campouts. A lot of work and commitment but good years, good times, good memories. @Seasick Sailor ? I hope I got the right person…. there are other things that could cause pain than cracked ribs. I hope you hear something soon or can call for the report. @ottahand7 sad to hear that your room is not being redone, dried out and with new carpet. Do not risk an asthma flare up. Happy it’s warm in Puerto Madryn. It was cold when we were there and I had been sick so I didn’t get off. I hope the warm sun helps lift you. @marshhawk You are a busy woman. Hope DH’s recovery and all your day’s happenings go well. @rafinmd Sad you had to cancel cruises but better to be recovered when your next one comes! Hope you can rest today. We leave two weeks from today, but have to get through dental fix today- new crown. yay. And still no passport for son…. still time 🤞 Cheers to all celebrating! Life is good! —Maureen

Thank you Sandi! You are amazing us! @StLouisCruisers Annie, @marshhawk lifting you and DH up for a successful day. Thank you for sharing your wisdom here! Terri, @Cruzin Terri Beautiful morning in Miami. Bon Voyage . Mailing Valentines today. Sending out the Love. I try to send them to all my single friends, most especially the widows and widowers. My most recent widow friend is in her 50s, has MS, now in a wheelchair, had to quit her job as an Occupational Therapist. She needs to know Love is all around! Humbles me and Makes me grateful! Sometimes it’s actually more effective to wave with the whole hand than just one finger! 😉 Especially if you smile. 😁👋 Blessings to all in need of healing, comfort and hope. Especially Kathi…. Roy, Jacqui, those in pain, those without a path forward yet, those dealing with loss, natural disasters, war. And an edge of protection around all the rescuers and protectors. Congrats to all celebrating. 🎉Life is good. Smooth travels to all away from home. 🚢🚘✈️🏨 I have nothing on my calendar today! Yay! Maybe I can actually get something done 🤣. Leaving in 2 weeks for the big family cruise, there’s plenty to do around here…. —Maureen