purduemom1

Cynthia, just have to ask, what does volcanic ash taste like? Or does the ice cream mask its flavor? Are there any benefits or is it a novelty? I bought bar soap in Juneau that was made of volcanic ash and other ingredients. Bought 4 bars for gifts and getting it thru security was a bit difficult. TSA couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me what the issue was.

Hello Everyone, Purple Hays, happy early birthday wishes! A cruise is the perfect way to celebrate and I hope your DH is doing better and also looking forward to the cruise. Kat, that is quite a pile of snow you posed with! I too think that outfit will be totally ok in the main dining room. 🤞that Covid doesn’t show up. Cynthia, good that you are feeling better. No fun being sick on vacation. 🤞that engine issues won’t significantly impact your itinerary. Melody, the pic of your grand dog is so cute! How are you doing? We had coffee with friends this morning and a woman came in using a knee scooter. She did a great job maneuvering it to her table. She said she has been using it for 2 weeks and has 6 more to go. Lois, how is the packing/planning going? Won’t be long now, will it? Take care all. Sharon

Glad your cold is behind you, Lois now that you are busy with packing decisions. I guess I’d be planning layers to accommodate different temps. We did a short land trip to Japan several years ago and visited Kyoto and Osaka. We too loved our trip. In addition to interesting, amazing sights and food, we noticed that everyone was polite and would offer to help us if it looked like we needed directions. We used public transportation which was a very different experience than here in the US. Everyone seemed to be nicely dressed, nobody was eating and littering but the most surprising thing was that many students used the trains and busses, usually dressed in uniforms, and were very polite and well behaved. I wondered what visitors from zJapan must think when they visit the US. More snow for you Kat and more rain for us! Travel wardrobe decisions….maybe a diversion from the snow?

The OP mentioned that he/she had not flown in several years so might not be aware that many airlines now charge more for certain main cabin seats. Since this pax is limited to an aisle seat on only the right side of the plane, availability of an aisle seat, in the fair class NCL has purchased, could be further decreased. Another consideration is that so many flights are flying full these days so choice seats fill up quickly. OP. Is it possible for you to be credited the value of your NCL flight and you can book your own flight using a ticket class that allows you to choose your seat at time of booking? Have you called NCL to ask if they can secure a seat for you now that will work? Airlines certainly try to accommodate passengers requests but they can’t create an empty seat when there aren’t any. In other words, if one needs a particular seat arrangement, for any reason, book the flight yourself and choose a ticket class that allows you to select a seat at time of booking. Good luck with this, I hope it can be resolved to your satisfaction.

Good to know that you arrived safely, Cynthia. Nice view from your hotel. I hope the weather is better going forward. Bon voyage! Also good to hear that you are feeling better, Lois. Yes, crazy stuff happening on flights today. There was a minor incident on our flight to Minneapolis earlier this month. A gentleman was seated in a window seat when a lady boarded snd insisted that she wanted to sit by the window even though she had the aisle seat. Both these passengers required wheel chairs and were older so fortunately no actual fighting but our flight was delayed about 20 minutes while the gate agent boarded and took care of the issue. Have a good week everyone!

Lois, I hope you are feeling better.

We normally don’t have this much rain so late in our “rainy season”. I usually start to think about spring bedding plants now but not this year. With more rain on the way, will hold off awhile. Just our luck we will skip spring temps and jump to our usual summer heat. I bought one of those multi plant/flower pots last summer. The perennial plants will stay but the annuals need to be pulled out and replaced. So there is that to work on.

OMG that is a LOT of snow! Don’t blame you for giving up trying to clear your driveway. Good question about snow in April in Alaska. At least someone else will be doing the shoveling.

Lois, sending “get well quickly” wishes your way. Cynthia, wishing you happy, safe travels. Will certainly look forward to hearing about your adventures when you return, BTW were you able to get a 4th booster? Sherri, I think you said that you also have an April cruise. Wishing you happy, safe travels also. Kat, about your snow, watching the weather channel earlier, apparently there are more storms heading to the Pacific Coast and of course will just keep on heading east. Not sure how CA will deal with all the water and snow. Hoping that you won’t be badly impacted. Melody, I bet you are making the most of your ability to move around more easily. Met with our CPA this morning. Now we wait for the “$verdict”$. Stopped at TJ’s and Whole Foods. Both were really busy-maybe stocking up anticipating the next round of storms? Sharon☔️

Audrey, thank you for sharing with us how your mom handled her illness. I don’t recall that she ever told us her actual diagnosis, although we knew it was serious. She kept the details private because she wasn’t sure if her family read this thread and wanted to tell you in her own way. As the mother of adult children I can emphasize with this. Knowing how she handled her illness I have to say she is truly an inspiration to all who knew her. Take care, Sharon

Audrey, thank you so much for finding this thread and letting us know the sad news. All of us have missed your mom’s posts as she was always so caring and upbeat. I think of her often even though we never met, I considered her a friend as I do the other posters on this thread. I am so glad that she was able to take that Alaska cruise, realize a dream and make lasting memories for her family. She did share a few posts and and picture when she and your dad were in Italy. She joked about her gallon bag of meds and your dad’s gallon bag of snacks. I want to extend my sincere condolences to you and your family and to tell you how much I enjoyed reading about your plans to support your dad as he travels this new path. As Lois mentioned, you are welcome to post here anytime We have a lot of fun discussing different topics as well as supporting one another when needed. Again, thanking you for updating us. Debbie has been and will continue to be missed. Sharon

Melody, spring has sprung at your house! Looks like you had some fun with your Easter decorations. I have been meaning to get out the hand painted eggs thst I purchased in one of the shops in Amanda, Iowa. They use raw eggs and over time the insides dry up without affecting the painted exterior. I have an Easter themed ceramic basket that I use to display them. Sherri, yes lots of rain with more expected later tonight and tomorrow. At least we don’t have to shovel it as Kat has been doing when the rain moves east and turns to snow. Lets see, Cynthia leaves this aFriday, Lois leaves in April I believe and Kat the end of April. I’m lining up my virtual cruising, looking forward to details and maybe some pictures. Anyone else have a cruise coming up? Do you have any cruise plans in the works?

Way to go , Melody! You are making great progress. Deep breaths, Cynthia. No matter how well I plan, I always feel rushed and stressed as departure date approaches but somehow it always works out. Sending good wishes that it will be the same for you. Lois, hope you are having a great day. I think you might be thinking of the Alaska State Museum. We’ve been there and it was walkable. More rain ahead and so far we are not in any flood zones. Not so for many others as you have seen in news reports. Thank you so much for your concern.

Happy St Patrick’s Day everyone. I made corned beef and cabbage when we were in Minneapolis so licking up take out for tonight. Lois, happy 65th! Wishing you a special celebration and an enjoyable visit with your family. I join the others in saying that the approval for help with the drug cost is fantastic. Certainly arrived at just the right time. Kat, an Alaskan cruise sounds perfect for you. Glad you booked. Something special to look forward to. I get emails from HAL and saw some good deals. Melissa, sending good thoughts your way for your check up. Melody, how are you doing? Cynthia, hope your packing is going well. Packing for that many days is daunting. Anita, good to see you posting. Congrats to your son and to you and DH also! Sherri and Redbird, hope all is good with both of you. More rain on the way next week. So many evacuations all over CA-sigh….. Sharon

Hi Everyone, all caught up now. Cynthia, your evening outfits sound perfect. Love the one with the orange in it.Which HAL ship will you be in? Kat, I agree you deserve hazard pay! Lois, fingers crossed that you soon get good news about your prescription cost. we arrived home just before midnight. House was chilly but our daughter dropped off a space heater which we used to warm up the bedroom. Unplugged it before falling into bed. Our HVAC guy showed up at 8:45 am and had the heat going within 15 min. It was just a part that turns on the blower. Whew! No new unit needed just yet. The first of 2 atmospheric fibers has passed with another on its way. It’s warm this time around and causing snow below 8000 feet to melt which in turn is causing a lot of flooding and evacuations. Fortunately we are not affected but over 17000 in this county alone have had to evacuate. We had a bit of a break this afternoon but there is more rain to come over the next 3 days. I’ve never seen it like this. Kat I can only imagine what you are dealing with. It was snowing when we left Minni but we didn’t encounter the treacherous road conditions that you have been dealing with. I had not heard that a 4th booster is suggested. We got the most current version last Sept so it has been 6 months. Guess I should do some research. Uh oh, thunder starting, guess more rain is on its way. Take care all

Hello Everyone, I’m finally caught up! You’ve all been very busy! Melody, yay on your progress! Lois, thanks for your concern and I will catch everyone up after I comment on a few happenings ( before I forget-LOL). Glad that you have found a good doctor and that you are figuring out the cost of your $$$$$ drug. As for your river cruise, I can see that you have put a lot of thought into choosing just the right one. Cynthia, hoping you have good luck deciding on your travel wardrobe. 28 days is a long trip. Hoping you share some insights with us. Kat, cute squirrel and good scores on the Camus and that bottle jacket. When does your winter job end? I hope everyone else is doing well. As for me, yes CA has had a LOT of weather and snow in places that wasn’t expected. No snow for us unless we head up a few thousand feet. Road closures and downed trees etc. Nothing that really affected us. However, we have taken a break from or weather and are currently in Minneapolis! Yes, there is snow but none on the streets or sidewalks. We are celebrating our granddaughter’s second birthday-hard to believe she is 2! We left last Wednesday ( Kat I waved as we flew over but couldn’t get the flight crew to tip a wing😁. Now for the possibly bad news. Our flight left about noon so we were in no rush and had everything under control. That is until our heat started making a funny noise. It could be the blower but who knows. We turned it off and will call our A/C guy to check it out. We will return to a chilly house with no heat. DD will drop off a space heater and our neighbor has also offered to loan us one. The unit is on the roof so replacing it is a job. Hoping that won’t be our only option. It’s a combo heat/AC. Fingers crossed it’s an easy fix. Also had an email that morning from Cap One telling me that the new credit cards that they sent in February were returned because apparently they couldn’t be delivered as addressed and there was no forwarding address. Interestingly our son sent us a Valentine card that was returned to him for the same reason! Not sure just what the P.O. is thinking and I’m also not sure what other mail pieces have been returned. I now have the envelope with the USPS sticker claiming it couldn’t be delivered and will take it up with our local Postmaster when we return. Our cards expire the end of the month do we will call when we return and they will be resent. Just hope USPS can get it right this time! So after all that, we headed for the airport-so much for a relaxing morning. Take care all, hoping the weather doesn’t cause anyone serious problems.

Melody, hope all is going well and healing is progressing. Cynthia, I too would like flavored coffee packets but haven’t seen any in stores. The Waka looks interesting. It gets good reviews according to the stars although I didn’t read any of the reviews. Also a 30 % off coupon brings the cost down. I’d be interested in your opinion if you give it a try. 28 days, what a adventure to look forward to. I will look forward to your review. Happy birthday-dinner with your DS is a great way to celebrate!🎉 Kat, good that your new opener is installed and you are enjoying all its features. Ours just opens and closes the door and has been doing this for so long that I’m guessing ones of these days it will just give up. Still looking for that lime Noosa. Lois, I hope you find a really good doctor to replace your current one. Take care all. Sharon

Vent all you want, you have earned it! Hope it gets better for you soon. As for the Noosa, I haven’t seen the lime.but will keep it in mind along with the one Cynthia mentioned-salted caramel. Melody, hope you are doing ok today.

Glad your “roast beef” toe surgery went well, Melody, and that you are feeling good. Thanks to you and Cynthia for the Valentine ’s Day greetings. Lois, you are right, the lemon Noosa does taste like lemon pie-soooo yummy!

Melody, wishing you the best outcome possible. I will be thinking about on Monday. Way to go, Melissa! Janet, thanks for the update on the dining situation. I’m not a foodie or even very particularly about food but when cruising I really enjoy a good meal that I didn’t have to plan, prepare and clean up. I remember that the MDR menus always had more than one choice that I liked and there was always the items that were available every night. I guess this is no longer the case. As for desserts, maybe that situation is a good thing? I wonder if this is an attempt to sell more upgraded dining packages? Sharon

Oh no, Melody, I’m so sorry to hear your update. I will send good thoughts your way and and wishes for a good outcome. Cynthia, so glad you could rescue needed data from your old laptop. We visited Osaka and Kyoto in April and it was a beautiful experience. We spent 3 days sightseeing in Kyoto and were fortunate to see the Miyakoodori performance. Since this was a last minute trip we were only able to get tickets to a performance in Japanese but it was still an amazing experience and one of the highlights of our visit. We also spent 3 days sightseeing in Osaka including Osaka Castle. We used all public transportation and I remember thinking how well behaved the school age children were and how nicely dressed adults riding public transport were. Kat, the new employee sounds like a good fit. I know you are relieved.I need to look for TJ’s Cauliflower and Orzo casserole. I picked up the Noosa blueberry today. They only had the smaller 4 pack. No lemon or any other choice but vanilla. Did try it and added additional fresh blueberries. Yummy! Now, after Lois’s lemon pie comparison, I really want to try the lemon and maybe that salted Carmel. OOTD jeans and a fleece top. Very little make up. Guess that is a consequence of the pandemic.

Ok, ok, Melody and Lois, you talked me into it! I’m going to look for Noosa the next time I go to Target😊. Hope they have the lemon.

Hello Everyone, where to start…… Kat, that stinks that you can’t get the meds you need in the quantity prescribed. When I see a commercial for one of the 2 you mentioned, I notice that they say it isn’t for Type 1 but they never add that it is not for most weight loss situations. BTW is anyone else annoyed by the huge number of prescription drug commercials? Many times it is one right after the other. Lois, we’re you able to work out arrangements for your flight home from Athens? Hey, I need some of your spring cleaning energy….big time! Cynthia, we’re you able to rescue what you needed from your old laptop? Maybe you have a back up that you can transfer to your new computer? I hope you have been able to figure out all the changes you needed to make because some of the ports changed on your upcoming cruises. Are you visiting Kyoto? Melody, how are you doing? Don’t you have a dr’s appointment this week? Hope that goes well for you and you will get a good progress report. Sherri, I hope you enjoyed your visit with family and the weather did you interfere too much. Christy, I laughed when you mentioned that you most likely won’t be called for jury duty until you are in your 90’s! Interesting comments about Trader Joe’s. Unlike many of you, I do most of my shopping at TJ’s. I like their products and it is easy to shop there.I also shop at Whole Foods and Costco although, I do avoid many of their items as the packages are just too large and I know we won’t make good use of an item before it goes bad or we get tired of it. As for a chain grocery store, I don’t like the one that offeres the most locations and the other chain is too far away. I hope everyone is doing ok with all the crazy weather. Just hoping that the weather doesn’t impact our flights coming up in 3 weeks! We had more rain tonight. We are currently ahead of the game and the snow pack looks good. Take care all and wishing everyone a good week ahead. Sharon PS, Kat I agree, you do look nice in that outfit.

Great family pictures, Melody! Hope you are doing ok. Melissa, great news! Let the traveling begin! Kat, yay, off the hook-at least for now. Christie aka Ex juror # 6-age is good for something! Here in CA you can’t be eliminated because of age or it could be considered age discrimination by that one in a million person who just might want to serve🙄. However, our county allows seniors self-provided medical excuses. An easy out that circumvents the age discrimination thing. Sherri, did you go to Minneapolis or IN? Spoke with our CPA today. She was just a little too “ upbeat” considering the subject matter😝. Apparently, due to all the flooding and emergency designation, our new due date for taxes will be in May. Nothing like postponing the pain! Sharon

Happy birthday Melody? 🎉🥂🎉! Here’s to a great year ahead! Wouldn’t it be fun to get together to celebrate. I bet Kat could come up with a yummy cocktail for the toast. Best wishes for a good outcome with minimal pain tomorrow. Sharon