Coralc

Regarding the smoke. Front page of the paper: "Bay Area Feels East Coast Pain" LOL. 😊 https://enewspaper.eastbaytimes.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?guid=7197ac7d-c694-46cf-bb78-0217a0c81485

I would suggest Cheapo Vagas website: https://www.cheapovegas.com/ And please don't talk about suicides and especially hangings. anymore. It is still very upsetting to me.

It is absolutely horrible and disgusting. We don't go over to SF anymore. Beautiful city just gone to trash and crime. And Oakland is the same way, if not worse. We are moving, albeit slowly. But we did have the flooring guy out today. We will be ordering the flooring, dumping some furniture and slowly progressing. And it looks like poor Bobby is going soon. He is fine, and still active. But according to his labs, he is hyperthyroid again and has very poor heart and liver labs.

Never mind. I should have read further. 😊

Have you ever encountered this before where you live? It is weird if it is new to you. We first experienced it in 1991, with the Oakland Hills Fire, which was very close. But in the last few years, it has happened with some regularity, from large fires that are quite a distance away. It just depends on the wind and the air pressure. Check out Purple Air to see if there are air quality monitoring stations near you. It is kind of alarming when the air is that bad. And it looks bad there. Real-Time Air Quality Map | PurpleAir PurpleAir https://map.purpleair.com

And on a lighter subject, I was playing with the pencil sketch app last time we were in Las Vegas. ☺️

This was at NOON when it was really bad one year from the Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise. The street lights were on at noon, and there was ash everywhere.

The new blocks are actually a little larger. The old blocks are not all the same size either. I think we have about 8. But I pulled an easily accessible, random Voyager block, and had former QC husband measure it and it is 3 7/8 inches wide by 3 1/8 inches high by 2 inches deep.

I think of soot as what gets on the sides of your fireplace when you burn logs. And soot, as from the black residue that comes from cruise ship smokestacks. I may be thinking of it wrong, but what we get is piles of dark colored fine particles, that are more like ash, after you have a fire. And they turn into muck, when you hose them off.

The ash gets all over, everywhere. It is not good for car paint, but easy to wash off. It is more difficult on the patio furniture and umbrella. Sorry about Ontario. Fingers crossed, we haven't started fire season yet.

I agree. I think they kind of look like a cheap souvenir store purchase. They're not horrible. We received our first new one last month. The colors are kind of garish. But overall, I appreciate them.

Alaska cruises are very casual. Jeans and sweatshirts are common attire. We did kind of dress up one night, but it was not required.

Our friends in Sydney, AU did the Antarctic plunge on Seaborn. Um, no. Nice cruise line apparently. They received a big book and travel documents about their cruise and expedition jackets. And @aussielozzie18 our friend Jake is a tour guide and fix-it person at the Sydney Opera House. But I don't know if he is still doing it anymore.

LOL. I'm sure they were happy to see you. And look absolutely thrilled! 😄

Serenade doesn't have Izumi Hibachi. Another ship, maybe?

Yes. You can only book the Hibachi dining at Izumi. But they can also make your other reservations.

It is a snapping turtle They are a little ill-mannered. And they probably don't cross at the same places every time.

I think a travel agent has to do it for you. They have the ability to place holds.

Can't see the FB. We had a project for "Ag in the Classroom", where we showed kids how to start seeds in Wendy's (Baked Potato) and Olive Garden takeout containers. ☺️ Maybe something similar? The Board of Supervisors had us do happy stuff like that, even as an enforcement agency.

I think mostly dining and excursions.

Try the won ton soup. It's good. I just get won ton soup, 4 tempura shrimp and dessert. That's plenty.

East Coast stuff is so interesting and different! Things like the Barrens and the Kills, which I have read in books, but have never seen. Met Life stadium has a lot of rules. And you just move quickly through other states. And all of the other things that are so fascinating. I truly appreciate everyone on this thread. 😊 It gives me an appreciation and sense and enjoyment of other places. And @HBE4 if you do get the opportunity, please take a photo of the turtle signs. We both cracked up when I told Bill about them. (Edit: Never mind, I can probably find the knee high turtle signs online, too.) 😊 We used to have newt crossing signs in one of the parks. But now they just close the road during newt breeding season.

Maybe Graham Crackers in the blender? Last time I was trying to make a cheesecake crust, our little food processer broke at the most inopportune time. Blender came to the rescue. 😊

He is very good! And a wonderful performer and piano player. I am glad to see that he is still around and on the ships. ☺️

Thanks Greg. I just miss her, and it still kind of hurts. He went on about her staying in some hospice, that was originally the home of Alan Turing or some sort of person that Benedict Cumberbatch played in a movie. Annoying. It's okay. I don't need a bunch of sympathy. She was my best friend. I was just annoyed about not knowing. And I guess I am a little down and a little sad because I will be turning 65 in June. You folks are all great! I don't need more. But it is just nice to write it down and get it off your chest sometimes. Thanks. I don't need a bunch of replies.