MJSailors

@Sea Dog Greg- I realize that you truly enjoy celebrating Christmas,but there is a saying- Less is more. As we get older,we need to consider our energy levels,physical strength and ability to do certain tasks that came easy to us at a younger age. My hubby is 71 and no longer does household maintenance that requires standing on a tall ladder or working on his knees. For years he maintained our gardens and stained/painted our house. He took a lot of pride in how he kept our house and property in excellent condition. Back and knee issues got him to adjust his thoughts about taking care of the house and property. About ten years ago, we changed the deck to Trex material with vinyl railings and had the house done with vinyl siding. We hired a landscaper and a lawn care company. We have had a painter do some interior work and exterior trim work. As we say- the most useful tool in our house is the phone ! The idea of getting a younger person,either your son or someone interested in the job of decorating your home is a good one. In our neighborhood, there are landscaping /decorating companies that will decorate private homes for the holidays. That may be something you could look into. Or, you could go through your myriad decoration collection and possibly sell some of the items or donate them where others could enjoy them. Please don’t take my post as telling you what to do,but just some thoughtful suggestions after reading your post about putting all your decorations away - an awesome job. MJ🙋🏻

Oh ,well ! I would think that use of the dewrinkle product would depend on one of two things- A person is not concerned about wearing wrinkled garments And/or The garments are not too wrinkled because careful packing. MJ🙋🏻

Graham- That diagnosis sounds complicated. Wishing Sarah relief and a good outcome with the planned treatment. MJ🙋🏻

@Coralc You have my empathy for dealing with all the storms your area has been getting. We have been watching the weather in the SF area as friends of ours are visiting their son,DIL and Branson in Pacifica since Dec 21. She is getting weary of the rain,and while they are happy to be with their grandson and his parents, she is now counting the days until they get home next week. Our weather here on Long Island has been cloudy and rainy since the beginning of Jan. However, it is nothing like.what is happening in CA. Hoping the sun returns soon for you and all dealing with the storms. MJ🙋🏻

Thank you,Graham. Besides PT sessions, I have made a habit of walking for thirty minutes a day on our treadmill. I used to take aerobic classes at our local library for seniors (ahem,!) until Covid concerns shut down that activity. When I first had an issue with herniated discs, the orthopedist and PT recommended daily walking. So far,I think it has helped me get to 70 (almost) without surgery. Just a thought once Sarah is feeling much better. MJ🙋🏻

Graham- I am sending healing wishes to your Sarah. If it were me, I would opt for the injections and rest . I can empathize with Sarah as I have had intermittent back issues for years. I avoided surgery by getting physical therapy a few times. Hoping each day gets better for her,you and Pauline.💐 MJ🙋🏻

For wrinkles, take along Downey Wrinkle Release spray,or you can make your own. Google it for the ingredients. MJ🙋🏻

@LVinTennesseeI know that you are referring to afternoon tea that includes small sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and small pastries. Princess has done a good job with their afternoon tea presentations. Cunard has/ had a lovely presentation that is most enjoyable as I recall. As others have posted here - High tea was traditionally eaten by workers when they returned home after their jobs. It consisted of hot,savory dishes such as cheese toast to satisfy hearty appetites after a hard day’s work. If RCCL doesn’t offer an afternoon tea, you could keep the tradition by enjoying some sweets with tea in the buffet or ordering cookies and tea from room service. Not quite the same presentation, but it could be a tasty break before dinner time. MJ🙋🏻

Swimming with pigs !!!🙄 Don’t get me started on that idea!!! MJ🙋🏻

Just goes to show the difference in people. If I am celebrating my birthday in a restaurant, we keep it among ourselves. IMHO- Cake,absolutely yes ! Candles- okay . Singing by waiters- no thank you ! MJ🙋🏻

Disappointing to hear about the Hilton.

@The Fun Researcher Not sure if you have been to Nassau before. It is,unfortunately, not a port with must see highlights. Hence, the difficulty in finding something to do there. I suggest a day pass at the Hilton which is not too far from the cruise terminal. Or you could take a short tour of the island. MJ🙋🏻

@miles2go2go Here’s a thought. The short cruises,especially on Carnival, can be booze cruises with a party atmosphere.Especially if the 4 day cruise is over a long weekend. This may not be the best choice for your family. Suggestions posted here about a different Carnival ship or embarkation port seem to be good ideas. You could also look at NCL,Princess or Royal Caribbean out of California that might offer a comfortable vacation. MJ🙋🏻

Sincerely meant from this Irish Catholic girl ! MJ🙋🏻

+1

Dani- Congratulations to you and your husband as you celebrate 50 years married on January 17th.Happy birthday to your husband also. Wishing you many more years together! 🥂💐💝🥳 I hope I get this greeting right. Mazel Tov ! MJ🙋🏻

In my view, a passenger planning on a TA has two choices. Vax and test according to ship’s guidelines Decide that those kind of voyages are not for you- KISS ( keep it simple Sam) Something else to consider- Covid case numbers are on the rise in parts of Connecticut, New Jersey and NYC. The Patterson ,NJ school district has announced a mask mandate for students and staff attending schools in the district due to a rise in Covid cases and other infectious diseases. Not intending to be a Debbie Downer, but issues to consider in choosing to take a cruise vacation this winter. Also , I agree with the poster noting the differences between RCCL shipboard experiences and those of Cunard. Anyone switching from RCCL to Cunard needs to be aware of dress codes, shipboard activities and policies.They are very different cruiseines. MJ🙋🏻

MImi- Glad to be of help. Bermuda was always our vacation destination of choice. Haven’t been there since 2019 though. I hope it remains a place that we fondly remember. In March of 2020, we were booked at the Fairmont Southampton Princess and I was looking forward to playing golf on their beautiful golf course. That vacation never happened though. We hope to return one of these days. A little story- My hubby and I were walking on Front Street in Hamilton and a tourist stopped to ask us where the bus terminal was located. I gave him directions to the terminal as we had been there a few times. I was pleased that he thought I lived in Bermuda and my hubby was surprised that I could give the person directions ! Another thought- The Fairmont Hamilton Princess has -or at least had- a poolside bar with views of the harbor. It is a pleasant place to sit for awhile and have a drink. The hotel’s claim to fame - one of them anyway- is that one of Queen Victoria’s daughters,I think it was Princess Louise, was a guest at the hotel. A little trivia - and ,no, I am not a paid employee of the Bermuda Tourist Ministry.😊 MJ🙋🏻

@jagsfan Mimi- I think that I read that it will be your first visit toBermuda and you hope to enjoy your visit without much walking. I have two suggestions- When you get off the ship at Kings Wharf, a taxi area is a short distance from the ship. The drivers there would be interested in giving you a driving tour . We have used the taxis many times and the drivers we have had were always polite and professional. Also- the ferry dock is not far from the pier. A pleasant ferry ride to Hamilton gives you an idea of what Bermuda looks like from the water. You could stop in Hamilton for lunch or take another ferry going to StGeorge’s where you could have a pleasant lunch. The White Horse Tavern has been mentioned. In doing your research, you will find a number of restaurants or places that serve afternoon tea in either Hamilton or St George’s. Another idea is that there are a number of shops at Kings Wharf. To get to them from the ship, there is a cute “train” that takes you through the Dockyard area and makes several stops. We have gotten some beautiful prints from a local artist,Carol Holding who has a shop in the Clocktower Mall. She has jewelry,perfume and some household items made in Bermuda in her shop too. I hope you enjoy your visit to Bermuda! MJ🙋🏻

Jagsfan - Mimi and Jimbo- You have gotten my attention regarding a cruise to Bermuda from Florida. Can you give me some info about these cruises? Where do they sail from in Fl and how long are the cruises? Do they include other ports? We have sailed on Celebrity from Bayonne to Bermuda and enjoyed those cruises, but they sail mostly in the Summer months. I looked at RCCL to Bermuda from Bayonne, but they seem to be only five day cruises. Since we sometimes visit FL in the Fall, I was thinking a cruise similar to the ones you posted about may be good for us. Thank you ! MJ🙋🏻

Lenny- Hoping that you are feeling physically better today and that your symptoms were less today. It seems that those of us who are blessed with older age bear the loss of family and friends who pass from our lives and hearts. Your friend must have had a difficult journey dealing with leukemia and Alzheimer’s. He is suffering no more. Wishing you a full recovery soon and healing hearts for you and your dear Toby. MJ💐

Oh,no !🙄 Hope the rest of your drive has mild temperatures. It was 55 on LI today with some heavy rain showers. MJ🙋🏻

Lenny- How are you feeling? MJ🙋🏻

Jumbo- I think that you will find most resorts in Bermuda are expensive. It is an expensive country and that is part of its’ allure. Most homes are kept nicely and there is no panhandling- at least that I recall- from people living there,unlike some. Caribbean islands where there is obvious poverty. I would suggest a small hotel, near Hamilton or St George’s or an Air b&b for a more reasonable rate. MJ🙋🏻

Jimbo- I wanted to answer your question about Bermuda that you posted on Andrew’s review,but didn’t want to hijack his postings. We have been to Bermuda about thirteen times since 1983. It would have been more,but the virus got in the way. IMHO, the Swizzle Inn is kind of a tourist place. Fine for a drink and say you have been there,not sure about the food. For lunch, the Henry VIII pub near Gibbs Hill lighthouse was good. There are a number of pubs on Front Street in Hamilton that are good for lunch also. The Hog Penny comes to mind. If you would like a romantic setting for dinner, we like the Waterlot Inn near the Southampton Princess. The food and service was always impeccable. We have also enjoyed dinner at the Four Ways Inn. Enjoy Bermuda. It is a lovely place. Forty-eight hours will give you a taste of it,not very long to be there. You may consider a land vacation there after your visit. MJ🙋🏻