ger_77

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Pretty sure I can write bad poetry, I love serendipitous happenings - @marshhawkgreat story! Just last year the discovery was made of a large amount of helium in the southwest part of our province, but please don't let it go into balloons that fly high and end up in our oceans or farmlands. I feel quite a bit better this morning - after coming here yesterday for a brief time, I went back to bed and slept another solid 6 hours. It's like having sleeping sickness with a cough. Weird. Both DH and I find we're also experiencing night sweats - something neither of us is accustomed to - ugh. At least my head feels clearer this morning; lets hope it lasts. I'm sorry to see we've had people losing friends, kitties who are sick, and missing rescue dog Shadow. That is sad and distressing for everyone involved. My heart goes out to all of you. Today's menu suggestion sounds easy with the slow cooker, but like @smitty34877has indicated, food doesn't hold much appeal right now. And if you knew us at all, you'd know that food has always played a huge role in our lives. That being said, our fridge is full with Chinese delights from our not quite adopted daughter Sophia's parents. Last night it was dumplings and vegetable fried rice that showed up magically at the doorstep. DH and I each had a dumpling and a forkful of rice and that was enough, but our temporary student doesn't seem to have lost her appetite and enjoyed a full serving of each. She's young and needs the energy to fight this thing, so we were happy to see her eating. You know the worst part? I don't even want wine right now; I hope that isn't a long lasting thing, because we've got the Signature Beverage Package for both of our upcoming cruises and I'd hate to waste it! LOL Prayers for everyone who needs them and cheers to everyone celebrating. You're all in my thoughts till tomorrow. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I'm slowly clawing my way back to the land of the living. Man, this has really kicked the stuffing out of me (there's lots, not to worry). DH is a couple of days ahead of me in his recovery, so although he has close to zero energy, has still been helping me along as well. Thankfully our sweet almost-daughter has been bringing food over every night (even though we don't feel like eating), and checking in on us. Oh, and to top it off yesterday our temporary Chinese student tested positive as well. Sigh. I told DH we had officially reached the level of "Pathetic" yesterday when although neither of us wanted to eat, we knew we had to, so I heated up a single bowl of chicken noodle soup and we shared it. LOL Hopefully the fatigue won't last much longer and the cold and cough that comes with this virus goes away as well. @kazumy heart breaks for Shadow and for you, after all you've tried to do for her in the short time she was with you. Totally irresponsible of the rescue to not keep closer tabs on her. I'm done, that's all I can do today, best wishes to everyone if you're celebrating something, prayers if you're hurting. I'll be back tomorrow. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I've always been financially aware - not always financially happy, but definitely aware. Bless the Navajo Code Talkers. Never played whiffle ball. Well apparently misery loves company . . . Yesterday it felt like I was coming down with a cold, so I tested - negative - yay! But by 6PM last evening it felt like I'd been hit by a truck. I was in bed by 7 and spent a full 12 hours there. I got up this morning and tested again. Positive. Oh joy. I don't care for takoyaki with octopus, but I'm sure it would be good with shrimp, however, I don't feel like eating anything right now. I'm glad I've got chicken soup, salmon and a whole bunch of other things in the fridge because DH and our student are going to be on their own today. I'm going back to bed. Oh, DH doesn't qualify for Paxlovid as he isn't considered high risk, so he's just going to have to ride it out as well. Take care everyone.

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! No left handers in our immediate family, although our son writes with his right (his handwriting is atrocious in either hand) and bats and golfs with his left. No middle children, and haven't had a garage sale in a long time. Looking at all the stuff in the house and garage that could go into a garage sale means hours and hours of sorting and setting out to display. When it comes down to it, it will be much easier to donate it all rather than haggling over a 50 cent item. We're experiencing another heat wave this week - for the next 7 days the temperatures are going to be in the low to mid 30's so we'll keep the windows open at night and close them before the heat starts building. Last night at 9PM it was still 28C which means we're into the hot August nights of old. Thanks for the kind words yesterday about DH's positive test - he slept nearly the entire day, which is probably the best thing he could have done. I made sure he had some food in his system and left him alone so he could hibernate. He's developed a cough, which I know kept him awake (as it did me), so will have to check to see if we have any cough syrup. I'm also going to talk to the pharmacist about getting Paxlovid for him . . . why I didn't think about it yesterday, I have no idea! So far I'm symptom free, but will take a test later in the day just to be sure I'm okay. I like today's menu suggestion, as it sounds super easy, but there's the matter of the salmon that I had thawed out for our dinner for last night. It has to be cooked up, so I'll do what I was going to do by baking it. Once it's cooked, we can have some right away and the rest can be kept chilled for salads and sandwiches. So it's looking like salmon will be on the menu tonight, even if it's just for our student and me. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the strength they're showing. I'll raise my glass tonight to celebrate all on the happy list. Stay safe, get those boosters, wear masks when needed and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Oh my, my heart just sank when I read @Rowsby's post. I thought maybe things had started to brighten up in @kazu's world with the addition of Shadow. I can only hope there is a disabled rescue service that can take her in. My worries pale by comparison - our lovely salmon dinner with friends that we had planned for tonight had to be canceled. DH has tested positive for Covid. Crap. Prayers to all who need them.

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I'm hoping the skies stay clear so we can drive out into the countryside to watch some of the Perseids later tonight. Gosh, I can't remember the last time I had Kool-Aid. Does anyone remember it's competitor, Freshie? @marshhawkI do remember Fizzies - loved the orange ones! Both DH and I used to have extensive vinyl collections, but parted with them many years ago. I know I still have a couple in a closet somewhere, but we no longer own anything on which to play them. I hope I'm that friend that people feel comfortable to call at 4AM. @richwmnwishing you a very Happy Birthday with many returns of the day! @mamaofamithinking of you and your family today. It's a cool but foggy morning out there; only 13 degrees but 95% humidity. The temp is supposed to soar to 31C later today which means the fog will burn off and it will be hot by mid afternoon. Sadly, we can already see a change in the colour of the sun's rays - there is definitely more red coming through, and of course, that means soon the leaves will be changing colour. Sigh. I LOVE today's menu suggestion and can't tell you how much of it I consumed when we visited Japan. Yum. DH not so much. LOL He prefers his fish cooked and that's what he's getting tonight. He decided we should have friends over for dinner tonight, and since we stocked the freezer with salmon, it makes sense to share it with our good friends. It'll be panko crusted salmon, dilled potatoes, corn on the cob, creamy cucumber/tomato salad and a store cake that is like a sponge cake with creamy raspberry filling that we'll be enjoying on the deck tonight. And wine,. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for their army's latest success. We'll raise the glasses high tonight to celebrate everyone on the happy list. Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks when needed and be well. Smooth Sailing! Gerry 🙂🙂🙂

Thanks for taking us along with you; say hi to Maria for me. Have fun!

Back from the doctor's office - he figures the cough is caused from the brand of cholesterol medication he's on. I recall when DH first started on it, he was coughing a lot and often had trouble singing because of it. Spoke with DH's son who says his case feels like a bad head cold with a runny nose. Hopefully that's as far as it goes. Thanks everyone for caring, it is appreciated! Have a great night!

Good afternoon, time for a quick check-in. Sorry to keep everyone in suspense, but we had to go out this morning for DH's hair cut and and then have a medical appointment to go over the results of his 3 month bloodwork this afternoon. DH tested negative; the first time he did it himself and I was sure he hadn't swabbed "deep" enough, so I did a second test. Both negative, so now that I've tickled his brain, he's got all kinds of ideas for us! The best idea he had though, was to have our friends who will be cruising with us over for dinner tomorrow night so we an talk about plans. The cruise isn't until January, but is it ever too early to start planning? Um, no. Now I'm going to look in the fridge and see what I will put together for a menu - it's looking like tomorrow's pizza night is off the table for this week. Have a great afternoon and evening, everyone!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I'm not touching the presidential jokes . . . We are grateful for our son and now for his sons as well. I think planning in the sand is a great idea; imagine sitting in a beach chair, stick in hand, drawing out plans. The waves come in, washing them away and you start over - kind of like Nature's Etch-A-Sketch. Playing in the sand can be just as creative and fun. Well the best laid plans . . . yesterday we were to go out to DH's son's acreage for an old fashioned weiner roast until he called to say he had tested positive for Covid. That in itself isn't all that bad because it seems everyone at some point is going to test positive. What is worrisome, is the fact that DH spent several hours in a truck with him on Monday when he went along for the ride on a road trip. DH tells me this morning he has a persistent cough, so as soon as he gets up and mobile, testing is the first thing on my To Do List. Fingers crossed. Yesterday I was pleased to see our favourite brand of frozen salmon was back in the weekly flyer. It had not been available since early March because they had been caught in waters from a country that is currently under heavy sanctions. When we found that out, we looked at the 1 remaining package we had and sure enough, there it was worded on the back of the package. At the grocery store yesterday, we turned the package over and saw that the salmon is now being caught in Alaskan waters. They probably had to move the fleet over a few miles to comply with regulations, but it's fine with us. We love salmon and basically topped up the freezer with 10 packages of fillets. @dfishhave a great time and stay safe on the roads! @smitty34877sorry to hear Tana's got a rebound case - that's awful. Please get the extra help, as you don't want to wear yourselves down further! And for dinner, order in a couple of Margherita pizzas! It's a breezy, cloudy day out there today and we're expecting showers for most of the morning, so it's rather gloomy looking. I love Margherita pizzas, but we haven't had one for quite some time - that might be a good suggestion for tomorrow. Tonight though, I'm thinking because DH has a cough, it might be a good day to set up the Instant Pot, toss in a chicken carcass with a bunch of vegetables and make chicken soup. I've got some buns in the freezer that will thaw quickly, so it's looking like it'll be chicken soup and buns on the deck for us tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and all they're going through. We'll clink the glasses to cheer on all who make up the celebration list. Be safe, wear masks when needed, get your boosters, and stay well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Being retired, most days can be lazy days if we want them to be, but normally we're out and about because there's always something to do. I'm not a fan of s'mores; I'd rather have the marshmallows toasted with chocolate on the side . . . is that keto? LOL Lions are so beautiful and really are majestic. My shoulders are stiff and sore this morning - yesterday DH decided it was time to try his new Fiskars tree branch cutter that extends to 14' in length. Well that wasn't quite good enough, so we had to bring out the extension ladder as well. A few hours later, after much cutting and dragging around branches we filled up our large green bin as well as our neighbour's. I may stand under the shower for an hour this morning to loosen up the muscles. I'm saddened by the news of a crew member going overboard; how terrible for everyone who knew this person. We can't begin to imagine what was going through his mind, but hope that his soul is now at peace. I hope @kazugot her replacement fridge yesterday, and that she and Shadow are getting on well. I love today's menu suggestion - I've done the packets with salmon and it's always been a hit. I didn't have anything planned for dinner tonight which is a good thing, because DH's son has invited us out to his acreage for a wiener roast. He has a fire pit made from a large tractor wheel where we'll sit around dodging the smoke, enjoying hot dogs, salad and dessert. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain leaving the ports. We'll clink the glasses around the fire pit to celebrate all on the fun list. Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks when needed and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I've always loved books; I've enjoyed reading ever since I was a child. Since I purchased an e-reader a number of years ago (and graduated to an iPad mini), I can carry hundreds of books with me wherever I go and not have to worry about excess luggage fees. I'm proud to say I have Indigenous ancestry. DH and I haven't had the opportunity to dance a polka in years, but I'm sure we still can. I really like today's quote. It's a bright, sunny day this morning with temperatures forecast for a little cooler (by only a few degrees) than yesterday. There's a fairly stiff breeze blowing from the north-west, so our friends who were supposed to go up in a hot air balloon this morning will have to wait for another day unless they want to end up in Minnesota! DH and his friend are packing up right now to get set up to entertain at a local food bank / soup kitchen later this morning. They were contacted by one of the people who run the facility and of course said they would like to perform for folks who don't normally get any kind of live entertainment. While they're out, I'll tackle the yard tasks - watering, dead-heading, and trying to keep ahead of the dandelions. @marshhawklove the blue; good for you for taking a chance! I really like today's menu suggestion - which by the way, is pronounced fa - but also enjoy it with the addition of either shrimp or beef. We have an abundance of tomatoes from our 2 little tomato plants, so I'll be frying up bacon on the side burner of the barbecue and we'll be having simple bacon, tomato and basil sandwiches along with some crudites in the pergola tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain leaving the ports. We'll raise the glasses and salute those on the celebration list. Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks as needed, and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

For some reason I couldn't get the photo to attach to my post above, but I had to share Sochi with you today. Her hair is normally a lot longer, but she's sporting her "summer look".

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Sochi will be delighted to know it is International Cat Day; there are no summer olympics this year, and we've been known to drop zucchini on doorsteps in the past. When DH still had the farm and we had a big garden, it was always a struggle to use up the plentiful zucchini. After a couple of years, the neighbours pretty well knew who the "gifts" came from, so we went a few blocks away and dropped them off to strangers. LOL It's a beautiful, sunny day out there right now, but it's going to get hot - we're expecting to hit around +33C (91F). I know for some of you that's just the lower end of warm, but we will certainly be closing up the house in an hour or two to preserve some of the cool air before the a/c has to be turned on. Not a lot on the docket today - DH has to go for his 3 month blood work, and then we'll go for breakfast after, as he has to fast. After that, we'll likely hit the grocery store and head for home where the laundry awaits. I can't wait to get onto a BHB where they'll do my laundry again; that's always somewhat of a luxury for me. @smitty34877having recovered appetites is a good thing - hopefully you'll all regain your strength soon as well. @StLouisCruiserssafe travels to you! I do like today's menu suggestion, and even though it means having to cook in the heat, I can do it on the side burner on the barbecue. We've always got chicken breasts in the freezer and veggies in the fridge, so tonight's dinner will be easy. Chicken stir fry with a side of rice will be what's happening on our dinner table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the ships loaded with grain that are finally moving to feed the world. We'll clink our glasses to cheer everyone on the happy list. Be well, get your boosters, wear masks when needed, and stay safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Bon Voyage everyone!!!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Hello to all my Daily friends - although we've never met in person, it feels like we're a bunch of old friends here. I can forgive, but sometimes it's darn hard to forget. Now you're not going to believe this, but here on the "frozen tundra" we actually have a lighthouse. It's the only lighthouse on the prairies (go figure), built by the mayor of a small resort town who had visited the east coast in the 1980's. It sits at the top of a hill overlooking Jackfish Lake, and has become a great tourist stop and backdrop for photos. If you're interested, look up "Cochin Lighthouse". A quiet Sunday for us - this morning we're off to a memorial service for one of the pioneers who used to farm by my in-laws. He lived a good long life, passing at 97, so we're going to join the family to celebrate the life he lived and then join them for lunch. I do like today's menu suggestion, as both of us enjoy salmon, but DH has decided (since he cleaned the barbecue yesterday) that we're having smokies for dinner. I guess it'll be smokies, dilled potatoes and coleslaw for us on the deck tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the safe passage of the much needed grain from that country. We'll clink the glasses together to celebrate those on the happy list. Stay well, wear masks when needed, get your boosters and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! We were privileged to have visited Hiroshima with DS's in-laws a few years ago. Very sobering to stand there and think about what happened. While I'm not a fan of blues, that genre of music has a huge following. Bless the farmworkers - just for a moment, try to imagine your grocery store produce department without them. We were in Warnemunde on the Rotterdam during our Baltic cruise; DH and sons stayed in town while his daughter and I took the train to Rostock for the day. Tis a cool one out there this morning - we're down to single digits +7 (45), but it should warm up to a comfortable +24 (75) later today. The news report yesterday included one from the Farmer's Almanac that tells us we should expect a "very cold" winter . . . oh joy. @Tbay belated Happy Birthday to you and your DGS! @kb4683 Happy Birthday to your DH! @smitty34877I'm so pleased to hear Tana tested negative - let's hope she can begin to recover now. And please don't overwork yourself - rest as much as possible. Not a lot on the agenda today, still trying to digest last night's amazing dinner. Our friend is a great cook, but everything he does takes a-g-e-s and we eat very late. We were invited for 5:30, but didn't sit down to dinner until 9. Of course by the time we finished eating, it was nearly 11, so we got home around midnight and kind of tossed and turned all night. I think today is going to be a very light day food-wise for both of us. I'm thinking something simple like chicken caesar salads will be what's on our table on the deck tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain leaving their ports. We'll clink the glasses to cheer on all who make up the celebration list. Stay well, get your boosters, wear masks when needed and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! We always have beer in the fridge downstairs during the summer, yay for underwear (who knew it would have it's own day?) and we like smoked oysters with soy sauce on them, served on a cracker. Yum. I was taken aback by the description of today's cocktail; I thought it was a chi chi made with vodka, pineapple and coconut, not bourbon et al. I prefer mine, thanks. I'd love a sample of today's wine, though, if someone wants to buy a bottle. Although the sun is shining, it's cool out there this morning at only 13C (55F) and we're not going to get a lot warmer with a high of 17. Someone actually said the F word on the radio this morning, yes, they said Fall. It can't be, we're just beginning August!!! Argh. @kazu I'm sorry to hear your fridge called it quits. You just can't catch a break, can you? I am glad to know that Shadow took to your vacation replacement so well, though. That's a testament of your treatment to her and that she trusts you wouldn't bring anyone around who would hurt her. @cunnorlHappy Anniversary to you and your DH!! @smitty34877I'm happy to see that most of the family is now testing negative. Hopefully Tana will begin to improve soon. @StLouisCruiserssafe travels today! We're 87 days from leaving for our fall (yes, I said the word) trans-Atlantic, and with all the stories on the news and here of people's luggage not arriving with them, I went downstairs and brought up our carry-ons to start thinking about what will go into them. We have small sized ones that will actually fit under the seat, so space is at a premium, but in the next few days I'm going to be trying various combinations of clothing that could see us through a few days without having to panic buy in Barcelona. I'm usually a pretty easy going person, but when it comes to travel, I leave nothing to chance. I'm going to give today's menu suggestion a hard pass; I don't think either of us would appreciate it. LOL It's Friday night, pizza night, but pizza isn't on the menu - we've been invited to a friend's where we'll be eating dinner on his rooftop deck. Hopefully he'll have the overhead heaters on, because it could be quite chilly otherwise. He's a great cook, and even though we have no idea what's on the menu, we're sure it's going to be delicious. There is sure to be good food, good conversation and much laughter this evening. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain leaving the ports to feed the hungry. We'll clink the glasses tonight to celebrate all on the happy list. Stay well, wear masks when needed, get your boosters, and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Wishing our Chinese "daughter" a special day today; will send her flowers, that will surely surprise her. YES to chocolate chip cookies! Bless the Coast Guard and all they do to help everyone on the water. I do like today's quote, will pass on the drink of the day (bourbon) and would love to try the wine. Another beautiful summer day out there this morning - clear skies with a bit of a breeze. We'll enjoy it for a couple of hours, then will close up the house as the temperature is supposed to reach +35C by mid afternoon. I think it's time to start a new hobby - macrame. Remember when I said I had 19 travel sized tubes of toothpaste? Well low and behold, there were 23 mini dental flosses in the bottom of the tub. Maybe I could macrame or crochet a vest or even a duffle bag! LOL @lazey1a belated Happy Birthday to you! I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday. @RedneckBobwelcome to the Daily! @aliaschiefthanks for taking us to Scotland with you; loving the photos! @cat shepardI'm glad I'm not the only one who collects things to be used on cruises! @dfishso glad they've decided to look for a suitcase instead of red framed glasses. Yikes! @Rowsby I agree with the suggestion to get an air fryer with racks instead of the basket. Also, make sure it has variable temperature, or you'll have to watch it like a hawk. Ours is a Black & Decker air fryer/toaster oven that has a constant a/f temperature of 400, so I'm always checking the food so it doesn't burn. I'm going to have to try steak in the air fryer - something I hadn't thought of - but not tonight. I've got chicken breasts thawing that will be crumb coated and will be in the air fryer instead. We'll be having dinner in the pergola tonight because it will be too hot to sit on the deck, but it'll be chicken salads for us out there tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain moving from the ports to feed the world. We'll raise our glasses and celebrate all on the happy list. Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks when needed, be well, and hydrate! Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Who remembers enjoying the "good nuts" served on a BHB on Formal Night? We also enjoy flying KLM biz class because they serve little dishes of warm mixed nuts as a snack. I sweep the kitchen floor every day, the rest of the house gets a good cleaning once a week. Had to look up Cloves syndrome. If you can't be yourself around others, then you're with the wrong tribe. It's a cool, foggy day out there this morning! Only 9C (48F) and fog such that I can't see down to the end of the block. Someone on the radio said there's sunshine, but we sure can't see it. I know it's short lived though, as the forecast is predicting a high of +33C (90F) for tomorrow. We'll keep the windows open to cool down the house as much as we can and won't have to rely as much on the a/c. Not a lot on the docket today; I think it might be a good day to go through the "cruise tub" - a large Rubbermaid tub with things I think we might use on our travels. I'm pretty sure it's time to cull some things, or maybe start using up some of the 16 small tubes of tooth paste. LOL @kazuyou're so good with dogs, and have loads of experience, so you're sure to have success with Shadow. I had no idea about the double syllable name and whether it goes up or down; I found that really interesting! @dfishwelcome back! Sorry about Donna testing positive for Covid, and hope they find Sue's luggage. It's time she started on a claim process if she hasn't already. Sending good vibes to everyone who has medical appointments today. With the lower temperature and cloudy day out there, it might be a good day to make a chili. I'll bring out the crock pot, stuff everything in and let it go for the day. It's looking like we'll have chili, crusty buns and a tossed salad for dinner on the deck tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. It seems we have a lot of folks right now who are having hand/joint issues; take care! Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain that's leaving the ports to help with world famine. We'll raise the glasses tonight to cheer on everyone who makes up the celebration list. Stay safe, wear masks when needed, get your boosters and be well. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Thanks for the explanation of National Night Out; I thought it was date night. It seems we're one of the few couples of our friends who will go out later in the evening, as most don't like to drive at night. Really? I admire those who can CAD; the designs they create can be amazing. Okay, light the flames - I don't care for ice cream sandwiches. I dislike soggy cookies and that's how they feel in my mouth. I like ice cream, just not squished together between soggy cookies. If all that's left in the freezer for treats is ice cream sandwiches (DH enjoys them), I shut the door and walk away. Late to the party last night because WOW, did we have a lightning and thunder storm roll through around 3AM. DH heard it (I sleep like the dead and would have slept right through it) and woke me, as we had all the windows open in the house and on the deck. The lightning was so constant (both sheet and bolt) that it looked like late evening - the entire area was constantly lit. We stayed up for about an hour watching the lightning and rain coming down. It certainly washed the cars off! Thankfully we had cleaned out the drain pipes a couple of weeks ago so the eaves troughs didn't overflow, and we didn't get hail. Apparently yesterday in Alberta they had grapefruit sized hail that destroyed vehicles traveling along the highway between Calgary and Edmonton. I can't imagine what it did to the crops and wildlife! @Rowsbyit's a woman's prerogative to change her mind - good for you for rebooking your Hawaii trip. I know you'll be careful. @kazubeautiful dahlias (see, I do know flowers! LOL). @smitty34877I'm happy to hear the family is getting a little better. @dfishwelcome home! Sorry about your sister's luggage, and the lack of a wheelchair! I know DH wouldn't enjoy today's menu suggestion, so will take a pass on it. Even after last night's storm, it's still warm and muggy, so I don't think I'll be using the oven today. It seems like a good day to cook a salmon fillet in the air fryer this morning and have it chilled on a lettuce salad for dinner tonight. Alongside some crusty buns, I think it will make a nice meal on the deck. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for the grain in ships leaving the port of Odessa. We'll raise our glasses tonight to celebrate all on the happy list. Stay well, get your boosters, wear masks when needed and be safe. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Good afternoon, time for a quick check-in. @Paw13welcome to the Fleet Report and Daily; I'm sure your husband has told you all about us! @kazua begonia, see, what do I know about flowers? LOL @Quartzsite Cruiserso glad to see DH has an appointment this week - at least it's the start of the process he needs to recover. @smitty34877 happy to hear from you; please take the time you need to recover, even if it means calling on others outside the house for assistance with meals, etc. Stay safe everyone!

Rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit! Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Girlfriends (and sometimes boyfriends) make great confidants and I'm happy to have a few of them. I'd like to learn to play Mahjong one day - I've only ever played the game on my iPad and it's just matching tiles. Definitely not into mountain climbing, although if you do go on a hike, bring a camera or binoculars so you can stop from time to time and it looks like you're admiring the view, rather than gasping for air. @marshhawkI'm happy to hear you're giving up the dog walking thing; you're doing your neighbour a favour at your expense. @kazuthanks for sharing the photos of your beautiful flowers - I know they don't just "happen", they take work and you're to be commended for it. Is that a hibiscus in the hanging pot? And thanks for the pic of Shadow as well - I hope it doesn't take too long before she realizes she's in the best place ever! It's another warm, humid day here on the "frozen tundra"; the humidity is at 85% which to us just feels weird. LOL I know the rain has been welcomed by the farmers though, so we'll just have to appreciate the dampness on our skin. I really like today's menu suggestion, especially if it can be made in the air fryer. I'm going to have to tuck the recipe away for another day though, because late last night our Chinese "daughter"s father sent over a large bowl of his fabulous spicy noodle dish. My mouth is watering just thinking about it - it's made with cumin, a few hot chili peppers, thinly sliced beef, onions and celery. Yum. It'll be spicy noodles and a creamy coleslaw (to cool down the heat from the noodles) on the deck for us tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who needs them and even for those who don't think they do. Extra for the people of Ukraine and for everyone providing assistance. We'll salute those on the celebration list with the raising of our wine glasses. Stay safe, get your boosters, wear masks when needed, be well, and hydrate! Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry