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Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! No ninas around here - at least I don't think there are . . . Bless all who volunteer their time doing things for others, without you, very little would get done. DH and I wear blue jeans daily - except when we have to dress up; we both find them the most comfortable pieces of clothing we own. Regarding today in history: I for one am glad prohibition was dropped - anyone else? @seagarsmokerI'm glad the interview went well - hopefully you're among the first to be called for the second round. BTW, is today's photo from Dominica? @GTVCRUISERBon Voyage! @kazube careful on the streets today as you & Ivan head out! @cunnorlcongratulations on your grand-niece's safe arrival - welcome Maeve Grace! A busy day for us today - DH has a hair cut first thing this morning, I've got my monthly breakfast with retired colleagues, and late this afternoon is when the fun really begins. The Canadian Pacific Christmas Train is rolling through our city around 7:30 this evening. It's a 14 car train totally decked out with Christmas lights that stops at various places across the country where they collect items for the food banks. One of the box cars opens up and there's a half hour musical performance by a group that's a lot of fun to see and hear. We're going to pick up our friends (the one where he has post polio syndrome), will stop for hamburgers and drive over to one of the best viewing locations which is only about a mile from our house. I'm making a big thermos of hot cocoa for us to enjoy while we're out there, and DH is packing lawn chairs for all of us as well. Thank you again for your prayers for our friend Wayne - he was "granted parole" from the hospital yesterday, LOL, and DH went over to bring him back to his house. He said he was feeling so much better since the cardioversion, and that the swelling in his legs should be continuing to subside over the next few days. We'll check in on him later today to see if he needs anything. We're not fans of lentils, so I'll pass on the menu suggestion; I'd like to try the drink of the day, and will give others today's wine selection. For us, it appears we'll be enjoying hamburgers and the companionship of friends in the car tonight. And wine when we get home. Prayers for everyone who is in need, cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Cheetahs are beautiful creatures, banks are necessary, and oh look, cookies!!! I haven't started my Christmas baking yet, but do have most of the ingredients for everything I want to make. This morning however, there was mention in the news that we are in fact experiencing a sugar shortage. Seems the bakeries will be the ones who suffer most, as that's their livelihood and they are having a terrible time keeping up. Already the big box stores are limiting 10kg bags of sugar to 1 per person, and it's tough finding any in the grocery stores. Sure glad I got a couple of small bags a short time ago and will have it available when needed. Thanks everyone for your care, concern, and prayers for our friend Wayne. They performed the cardioversion yesterday and it was successful. He messaged us about mid-afternoon saying the procedure went well and his heart was back to a normal rhythm. He thinks he may be released this afternoon and if he is, we'll go pick him up to bring him home. I hope now that his heart is functioning normally, that the terrible swelling in his legs will subside as well. I'm adding my good luck wishes to everyone else's for @seagarsmoker's interview today. Oh my gosh @StLouisCruisers, I hope you don't have too much damage from the water leak!!! Not a lot on the agenda today, although DH is going out for coffee with a friend he hasn't seen in a long time - the friend lives in Washington state and is in town on business, so they'll have a great time catching up, I'm sure. As for me, there's always laundry and usual household stuff to take care of, and I'm always working on another blanket. Speaking of which, I have to get them all together in large bags to take over to the drop off spot so they can be distributed before and during the Christmas season. I don't know how many I've made, but there are a bunch of them that will be finding new homes over the next while. I'm passing on the drink of the day, will let others have my white wine, but I'd like to try the soup if I saw it on a menu. Friends of ours mentioned there was a new noodle place that opened up on the other side of the city that has some interesting offerings, so DH and I plan on heading over there this afternoon and will pick up something different for us to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially those in the midst of wars. Cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Have you tried using a different server? I find on my PC that the site stalls in Chrome, but if I switch to Edge or Firefox, it works well.

Of course I missed it - was just cleaning up cat barf on the hardwood floor!!!!!

Bon Voyage everyone - have a great time!!!

I think all the other captains are tooting their happiness that the Apex is finally out of it's berth.

Just returned from shopping and checking in!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! People with disabilities should be recognized every day - we never know when we will become one of them. I can honestly say I've never eaten a green bean casserole; looking at the recipe, they're incredibly easy to make, so I might just put one together soon. Sending hugs to all my Daily family today; DH will get his when he wakes up later. My plans for the other day of making toppers for kitchen towels went awry when I realized I didn't have any fusible interfacing, so yesterday while DH and I were out, we stopped by a fabric store where I picked up some for the project. Today I hope to get to the sewing stage, although that will likely be interrupted by a visit to the hospital this afternoon. We went to see our friend Wayne yesterday and although he's looking good, his legs and feet are still terribly swollen. He said the swelling had gone down considerably, but we were surprised to see they still looked like tree trunks - this on a normally slender man. Last night we heard from him that his heart is still racing, so today they will do a cardioversion where they shock the heart (like using an AED) to get it back into a normal rhythm. Hopefully that takes care of the problem. Thank you all for your prayers on his behalf. @RedneckBob Bon Voyage! @Seasick Sailorjust wondering if you and @Himself ever did connect? @rafinmdit sounds like you're feeling a little better if you're on your way out to get groceries. @aliaschief 5" of rain? Are you planning on taking a boat to church? @grapau27have you had your water issue repaired? I like the quote, and confess I'm among the Lone Ranger group. I'm going to give a pass on the drink of the day and others can enjoy the white wine. The soup sounds like it might be good, but I probably wouldn't make it. I've got a couple of chicken breasts thawing that will be pounded, breaded with panko crumbs and cooked in the air fryer alongside some asparagus and served with a side of buttered rice at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially those involved in needless wars. Cheers to all with celebrations happening today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Yay, you’re home! What a great relief to know this - so many of us have been worried about you! Now take the time to recuperate fully.

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! All 3 days are very important - good sportsmanship, yay for bartenders - especially those on BHB's - and as we travel we see the effects of pollution everywhere. So many beautiful waterways are filled with plastic and trash, it's just a shame. 7:38 and it looks like midnight out there; the sun isn't going to make an appearance until 8:54 this morning. Our weather is still chilly (-8C or 17F), and it isn't expected to get much warmer, as the high for today is only -4 (25). Yesterday we had a brief snow shower but it was only enough to leave a slight deposit along the sides of the driveway and that's all. Word on the street is that we could be having a brown Christmas this year, which is scary for the consequences it may bring. Thank you for your prayers for our friend Wayne - we messaged him last night and heard that he spent the day having pokes, prods, and more tests. They gave him the menu for the weekend, so it looks like he's still in hospital for a couple more days. We plan on going up to see him this afternoon, as there aren't usually a whole lot of diagnostics happening on the weekend. @StLouisCruisers congratulations to Ren for making his decision of colleges - I think it's a very good one from all accounts! @Sharon in AZI'm happy to hear your surgery went well. @rafinmdI hope you had a restful night and feel good on the drive home. @JazzyVI don't know how you manage with the amount of pain you're in; you're very brave. I hope your radiator issues are repaired quickly, and the floor as well. @grapau27I'm so sorry to hear about your water woes - I do hope your garden will recover from all the debris flooded on it. Also hope the cold water issue is resolved today. Not much on the agenda for today, so I think I'll get the Christmas cards out and start working on them. I don't send out a lot any more (does anyone remember as a child, having the Christmas cards strung around the room near the ceiling?), but like to write at least a few words in each. DH picked up another strobe type of light the other day that he wants to try to see how it looks on the front of the house - hopefully it's not too psychedelic - he tells me it's supposed to look like snowflakes . . . time will tell. I would really like to try the drink of the day, will pass on the wine, and I have to start making room in the deep freeze for the soon-to-be-bought Christmas turkey, so will take a pass on today's roast chicken. We'll be having perogies (2 types - cottage cheese, and sauerkraut) and baked sausages along with some vegetables at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially those in the midst of war zones, those in pain, and those who grieve. Cheers to all with celebrations today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit. Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! We usually wait until Dec 1 to turn the Christmas lights on, but this year we were a couple of weeks early - maybe because the neighbours all had theirs turned on. Today is a good day to remember those who have died because of AIDS and those who still struggle with it. Hopefully soon we will find a cure for this horrible disease. Good for Romania. Another cool and dark morning; we're currently sitting at -13C (8F) and expecting to hit a high of 1 (33). Looking at my FB memories a year ago today we were experiencing our first Extreme Cold Warning where wind chill temperatures were going to go down to -43F. At this point I'm still wearing my light leather jacket with just a fluffy scarf and I'm comfortable - not sure how long that will last. @cruising sister Thank you SO much for posting the photos of our dear sweet Murphy! She is a gem and such a fighter . . . prayers continue for her daily. @rafinmdI hope you had some restful sleep in the hotel last night so you can continue on your way home. Late yesterday afternoon we had a phone call from Wayne, the friend we'll be cruising with in February, asking if we could help him. He'd been at a health clinic in the afternoon and they wanted him to go to emergency at the hospital and he didn't want to drive. DH flew out of the house, picked him up and promptly took him over. It seems he's having heart issues (racing) and it isn't pumping properly so that his legs were becoming extremely painful. It's strange because this is a man whose only previous problems were with his knees from a lifetime of playing recreational basketball. We kept in touch with him throughout the evening and at this point we know he's being admitted to the cardiac ward where he will likely be held for a couple of days for tests. I'll text him in about an hour for an update and to see if we can bring him anything (razor, toothbrush, etc) to make him comfortable. I wouldn't mind if you all would keep him in your prayers, as it sounds quite serious. On another note, we caught a mouse under the kitchen sink yesterday! Little bugger! I don't know how he got in or where he might have come from, but a day ago I saw what looked to be shredded paper under the trash bag. I asked DH if he'd thrown some in the garbage rather than into recycling and he said he hadn't. We set a trap and bam! Caught it. We reset the trap and I checked it this morning but it was empty . . . I'm not cheering yet though, as I know where there's one, there's usually more. I'm passing on the drink of the day, would like to try the wine, and will look forward to seeing the recipes for the arctic char. It's Friday night pizza night so DH and I will peruse the online menus for something ooey and gooey to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially the hostages still in captivity, and all the innocents in the midst of wars. Cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Computer security is so important - you never know if the next thing you click on is going to result in malware. I'd love to have a bowl of mousse for breakfast, but that's not happening. Good for Barbados; we were there last January and did an all day private tour with a taxi driver - lovely place. Cold, dark, and still no snow. Already on the radio there are reports that if we don't get a decent amount of snow, there will definitely be drought in parts of the province. Looking at the forecast for the next week, there isn't any precipitation coming, which can be a worry. Sure wouldn't want to be a farmer - grain or animal - with the stress of having to rely on the weather for your livelihood. Good news - I went online yesterday afternoon and saw the results of my mammogram - all clear, no problems detected. Even though I've never had issues, it's always a relief to know when a normal report comes back. I've known far too many women who haven't been as fortunate. @Sharon in AZ good luck with your cataract surgery today. @rafinmdI hope you were able to get some restful sleep in the hotel last night. Be safe on the road today. @JazzyVsorry you're having not only leg issues, but boiler trouble as well - and I do hope you'll be able to get your floor repaired quickly! @Quartzsite CruiserI'm glad your fellow can order the washer parts and install them - it's better to try to repair than replace, even if you have to go to the laundromat in the interim. @marshhawkif you haven't heard about the oxygen by noon today, call the doctor's office - you can't be without it this long!!! I feel like a new woman - great haircut, new glasses, and today I'm going to my friend (a jeweler) who has made a few new spinner rings for me to try so I can replace the one I lost a couple of months ago. I've worn a ring on my thumb since 1999 and it feels so strange not to have one there; I'm really looking forward to getting one again. The two pair of glasses I ordered online only a few days ago arrived yesterday; they come from China and our border security people make sure nothing gets through that shouldn't. The package was thoroughly inspected, then re-sealed and they even put in the plastic they'd cut off the top into the bag with the glasses. I'm passing on the drink, I've had the wine and would definitely drink it again, and look forward to seeing the recipe for today's menu suggestion. Looking in the deep freeze the other day I found a couple of containers of hamburger soup that I'd made a few months ago. Currently 1 of them is thawing in the fridge so we'll be having soup and crusty buns at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, and in wars. Cheers to all with celebrations today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! We were taught how to square dance in Grade 1 and I haven't used that particular talent since. Ooohhh, you had me at chocolate! DH would love the lemon cream pie, and I do like today's quote. So grateful for Edison's invention, as I love listening to music - hand cranked or otherwise. A busy day ahead for the 2 of us - yesterday at the dentist, it was determined that the tooth with the cavity wasn't salvageable, but DH didn't want it extracted right away. After speaking with the denturist, it's been decided that he will invest in a new partial plate and once he has it, will have the tooth removed, allowing the plate to provide pressure/protection for healing. It made sense to me when the doctor explained it, so today DH has to go for an impression (hope he makes a good one!). Then I have to bring a purse back to a store because after only a couple of months of use, the zipper has separated. Later this afternoon I'm getting a much needed haircut; not appreciating the shaggy dog look at all. Continued prayers for @rafinmd that you'll soon be feeling much better and on your way home; for @smitty34877's Tana who continues to struggle; for @marshhawkI do hope you get that oxygen - I can't imagine you've gone this long without it! I think I'd try the drink of the day (the other ingredients might drown out the bourbon taste), would probably like the wine, and would love to try today's menu suggestion, but will wait for someone else to make it. I've got a container of stew thawing in the fridge that will be reheated and served along with a side salad and crusty buns for us to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

A quick check-in to say thanks everyone for explaining what Medicare et al are all about. I agree with everyone about the ridiculous ads . . . Interesting story - our friend's daughter and her BFF moved to Ottawa where both girls were music teachers in the elementary school system. On the first day the parents come through the various classrooms to introduce themselves along with their children, and the first 2 through the door were the parents with their sweet little girl - the dad was a big, handsome looking guy and right behind him was his wife - Alanis Morisette. She tried not to be star-struck, but was quite taken aback when she realized she would be teaching music to one of the great musical talents of our country. LOL No pressure, right? I'm happy to hear that Roy isn't suffering from heart failure - hopefully his short hospital stay will yield results that will get him on the road to recovery soon. DH went to the dentist this morning and is at the denturist this afternoon getting an impression made for a new partial plate. Thankfully our insurance pays for 60% of the cost, especially just before Christmas! Take care everyone, see you tomorrow!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I was one day ahead, as yesterday I wrote letters in cards to both grandsons. I do that occasionally just to give them something special in the mail. I love French toast but haven't made it in a long time. I'm sure all Mauritanians will be celebrating today. As far as the days in history go, I'll bet Magellan never thought he'd have a travel store named after him. LOL Cold and dark again, although that big old moon is sure shining brightly in the sky. We're currently at -6C (21F), but hopefully will creep up into the plus temps with a high of 4 later today. It got warm enough yesterday that DH felt it was a good day to put both vehicles through the car wash without fear of having the door locks freeze shut later. @Seasick Sailorlovely to see a photo of the two of you! @rafinmdsending positive vibes for a quick recovery so you can get home and rest. @StLouisCruisersHappy Anniversary to your twin and her DH! @Quartzsite CruiserI'm happy to hear your wine/liquor cabinet is restocked, now you can restock the kitchen cabinets. LOL Can I ask a totally off-topic question of my Daily friends? What's with your Medicare? All of our US television stations are bombarded with advertisements to enroll or update their Medicare provisions. Do you have to do this every year? Do your doctors opt in and out of the program? Living on the "frozen tundra" we just go to the doctor, the province pays for it and we're done without ever seeing a bill - it doesn't matter if we go to a regular physician or specialist, office or hospital. DH has a dental appointment this morning; he thinks he may have the start of a small cavity on one of his teeth. While we were having dinner last night, suddenly he took something out of his mouth - it was a tooth from his partial plate. Not the front one that we had fall off last year, it's one from the back part of the plate. Of course it was after office hours, but he did leave a telephone message for the denturist's office for first thing this morning. Hopefully he can get in to see him later in the afternoon. I'd like to try a sip of today's drink, although I think it would be pretty sweet; I'm sure I'd like the wine, and look forward to Debbie's recipe for chicken and rice. I like the French Toast day, so I've decided we're going to have breakfast for dinner tonight with French toast and bacon at the kitchen table. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially the hostages still being held, the innocents in wars, and those needing a little extra. Cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I've never had a pie in the face, but DH did once when the university held a fundraiser and the profs offered themselves as sacrifices. I'd love to have a piece of Bavarian Cream Pie, but don't think there's any nearby - maybe that's a good thing. It's good to adopt turtles - I love seeing programs on TV showing the hatchlings heading off into the ocean. That big old moon is hanging around again this morning, in fact when I got up this morning and looked into the usually dark back yard, there were moon shadows. I love it. It's dark and not too cold; we're expecting a high of only +1 (33F), but if it's not windy, it should be quite comfortable. I was upset to hear that our dear Roy @rafinmd ended up being admitted to the hospital - I did begin to worry when I read he had to stop a few times just retrieving his luggage and getting it to his car. Hopefully the hospital will get him feeling well again very soon so he can continue on his way home. Keeping him close in my heart with prayers for a speedy recovery. Not a lot happening here today, I have my every two year "panini press" (mammogram) this afternoon and that's about it. I'd like to try the drink of the day, am pretty sure I'd like the wine, and will give a pass to today's menu suggestion. My dinner plans for yesterday were put on hold when late in the afternoon DH's son came over and brought burgers and fries from Wendy's. DH had the new garlic something burger which I tried a bite of and promptly gave a negative review. It has a garlic aoli - which I usually like - that had a weird flavour, so I'll stick to the Junior Whopper, thank you. So for us it will be breaded pork chops, baked potatoes and Greek salad at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in hospital, in grief, and in wars. Cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Yes to cake - make mine chocolate, please! Laws are important to society at large. We have a number of small breweries in our city with such a variety of offerings. It's cold and dark out there this morning at -14C (6F), but there's also a HUGE full moon hanging over us; it's absolutely beautiful. According to the forecast for yesterday there was a 35% chance of snow - well at the stroke of noon it started snowing and blowing like a full fledged storm. That lasted a couple of hours, and although it didn't drop a lot of snow, it caused dozens of accidents because the streets became like skating rinks with the moisture freezing all of a sudden. Thankfully we were able to slip slide our way home without incident, but we saw a few fender benders on the way home from shopping. I've got a couple of sewing projects that I want to work on - last week I made a snow cover for my car's windshield, and there's still enough fabric left that I can make mirror covers as well. I don't have heated mirrors, so in the ugly cold of winter, that means having to stand outside and scrape them clear of frost. The mirror covers should prevent a frost build up and make things easier. I also bought some fabric yesterday so I can make hanging kitchen towels. When going through the linen closet the other day I realized I had at least a dozen towels that I'd purchased over the past who knows how long that I intended to make into hanging towels. Time to get that started, as they make great hostess gifts, especially at Christmas. @Haljo1935Bon Voyage; enjoy your trans-Atlantic! @kazuthe hedgehog is adorable - I'm sure Ivan will love it! I'm passing on the drink of the day, would like the menu suggestion, and am pretty sure I'd like today's wine. I've got a couple of pork chops thawing in the fridge that will be breaded and baked in the air fryer and will be served along with baked potatoes and a Greek salad at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, especially the innocents in the midst of wars. Cheers for the reunification of the hostages and their loved ones, and for all with celebrations today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

I'm finished as well, thanks everyone for another nice sail-away. Till next time!!

I was just about to say no flags or signs from the folks onboard, but then at the aft balcony, there's a Canadian flag. Smooth Sailing to all today!

More toots!

She's tooting early!

It'll be nice when the Pier 66 camera is back in operation, although form what I've seen, it's going to be quite a while till the hotel is finished their renovations. I miss seeing the white trucks!

Apex is finally moving/

I don't want to jinx myself, but so far, so good!

Toots!