.......idle jottings

[ho-hum]

Oh just so much to tell you folks and a few corrections:

- the pouring rose wine is not Provencal but Pays d'Oc. "Oh for God's sake ho hum, who the hell really cares ?" Well ho hum thinks it's important and if you are going to adopt that attitude then ho hum will not report anymore !

 

- our youngest travelling companion IS allowed in the pool if he/she wears swimming pool diapers. Now this would indicate what dear chums ? Oh do come on boys and girls and sit up straight ! Well it demonstrates that they DO have something of a children's policy ..... clutching at straws is ho hum ? Yes you're right.....oh and sorry for being bossy t'boot

 

- poppadoms are very disappointing: supposedly made from lentils. They are ancillary/accompaniments to the curries which are fantastic. A week later and the poppadoms returned somewhat to their original type and standard

 

- so ho hum has discovered that the food spend has increased year on year to obtain better quality foodstuffs and it shows. A 5% improvement overall. And there are menu changes too making it a tad more interesting. And the menu font has altered slightly.....is this a tad OCD for you ?

 

- love the "Signature Gelatos" ! Dont be put off by the ingredients; they are divine.

 

- the day's paper is now reporting news of the day before and not of the day before that ! Whoopee !

 

- salt and pepper pots. That actually work and look great !

 

- the artisanal breads are now pre-cut and pre-cut too thin in ho hum's opinion. This may be considered more efficient and safe but ho hum likes a thick cut: the caramel flavour of the crust comes out with a thicker cut. Progress ehhh !

 

- in a way, it is a good thing that ho hum does'nt have the bread otherwise he would be the size of a house ! But those sneaky bakers make the most delicious croissants and HH has to exercise Herculean self-control to limit the morning intake to just 3 !

There is also pain au chocolat croissant. The jam is strawberry "Bonne Mare" which HH considers superiot to the English Wilkinson & Sons "Tiptree" although the English win "hands down" when it comes to orange marmalade.

 

And all the other ancillary stuff has completely gone out of ho hum's head.

 

Suffice to say had a lovely relaxing evening and dinner with Zimmy. Oh yes Zimmy is the lady. So ho hum got that wrong. Anyway she dressed most elegantly and he was most smart in a freshly pressed white shirt. Lovely and interesting listening to their travel thoughts and extensive cruising knowledge. A definite highlight of the voyage meeting these guys.

[ho-hum]

The Commander highly recommends "Whiplash", nominated for Best Picture

and Best Supporting Actor nominee, J. K. Simmons ... he'll win in a cakewalk.

 

There is a lot of buzz for "American Sniper", but art and politics rarely

jibe ... creating differing reviews. Anyway, not really my cup of tea.

Of course, "The Imitation Game" is a must see, especially for folks from

your side of the pond.

 

Gimme Bogart and Bacall anytime. They don't make em like they use

to! Only 29 more days!

 

A new film / real life documentary is being filmed called "Down & Out in St.Barts": great cast HH believes.

Filming starts in just under 27 days.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

you added the"indeed" later did'nt you ?

 

 

Just the "......." before the emoticon, too allow a brief moment for the indignation to initiate :cool:

[Zimmy]

 

Suffice to say had a lovely relaxing evening and dinner with Zimmy. Oh yes Zimmy is the lady. So ho hum got that wrong. Anyway she dressed most elegantly and he was most smart in a freshly pressed white shirt. Lovely and interesting listening to their travel thoughts and extensive cruising knowledge. A definite highlight of the voyage meeting these guys.

 

Yes, Ho-Hum, I am the lady. And DH and I were so happy to meet you and the charming Blondie, who adds so much life to any group. And you are a true gentleman. We had a lovely evening with the two of you and look forward to sailing with you again next year, now that we have been initiated on the II. I have always looked forward to your Idle Jottings each morning, and now that I have met you I enjoy even more so reading of your experiences and opinions of the goings on aboard SDII.

[ho-hum]

Just the "......." before the emoticon, too allow a brief moment for the indignation to initiate :cool:

 

Masterful.......impressed Guru Ragnaji !

[ho-hum]

Garfield Anderson, the genius pastry chef has decided to stay put in his county of Northern Ireland and will not be returning to Sea Dream where he "jumped between ships" and spread the wonder of his deserts and abrupt humour (only to those robust enough to deal with it).

 

He has served on Sea Dream since its inception and in the Sea Goddess days.

 

An era has ended.

 

He is a man we came to know and loved and especially for his stories.

In later years he hosted tables (crossings only) which were fabulous affairs.

Once he actually dined with us accompanied by the Provisions Master (PM).

This was on a not so full crossing and AFTER deserts were created and served for all the other passengers.

Well he made such a delicious gateaux that the PM and HH consumed the lot !

 

We wish him all the best back home. He often spoke lovingly of his kitchen. He is back with the family that loves him too.

But HH and Blondie will miss him greatly.........quite a character.

[abenaki]

Garfield rose above merely being another Pastry Chef to be a true artisan working in the medium of cream, butter, sugar and chocolate. The collective inches that he is responsible for adding to waistlines around the world would be a shocking number.... Alas....

[whatnot]

So sorry to hear that the fabulous Garfield is leaving Sea Dream! He was a great pastry chef and a very interesting character. He will be greatly missed!

[gcmv]

The jam is strawberry "Bonne Mare" which HH considers superiot to the English Wilkinson & Sons "Tiptree" although the English win "hands down" when it comes to orange marmalade.

 

Dearest ho-hum,

are you sure? :confused:

 

Gcmv knows an excellent German strawberry jam - called Bonne Maman (it goes without saying that it is a premium product ...) .

 

http://www.bonne-maman.de/index.php/produkte

 

Perhaps ho-hum had one or two Bonne Mare too mch, while writing these lines? :D

 

https://www.oxfordwine.co.uk/products/bonnes-mares-grand-cru-domaine-louis-jadot

[ho-hum]

Dearest ho-hum,

are you sure? :confused:

 

Gcmv knows an excellent German strawberry jam - called Bonne Maman (it goes without saying that it is a premium product ...) .

 

http://www.bonne-maman.de/index.php/produkte

 

Perhaps ho-hum had one or two Bonne Mare too mch, while writing these lines? :D

 

https://www.oxfordwine.co.uk/products/bonnes-mares-grand-cru-domaine-louis-jadot

 

Ralph you are just too damn smart and too German !

Would love to try the German jam......but Germans dont have scones, cream and tea (Chinese or Indian)... So how and when do you eat strawberry jam ?

Ah yes the red Burgundy...a Louis Jadot.....a fine wine.

Send our love to frau gcmv.

[Jim Avery]

Ralph you are just too damn smart and too German !

Would love to try the German jam......but Germans dont have scones, cream and tea (Chinese or Indian)... So how and when do you eat strawberry jam ?

Ah yes the red Burgundy...a Louis Jadot.....a fine wine.

Send our love to frau gcmv.

 

Excellent observation, Mr. Hum. Schnitzel just does not seem to go with strawberry jam.

[gcmv]

Excellent observation, Mr. Hum. Schnitzel just does not seem to go with strawberry jam.

 

... but with ligonberry jam ... ;)

 

http://kitchenproject.com/history/Schnitzel/Wienerschnitzel.htm

 

What is Wiener Schnitzel?

Wienerschnitzel is a thin crumbed slice of veal (usually 3 to 6 ounces) fried in oil and served with lemon, and often ligonberry jam and Erdapfel potato salad (German Potato Salad) Pomme Frits (French Fries) or boiled potatoes with parsley and butter.

[Jim Avery]

... but with ligonberry jam ... ;)

 

http://kitchenproject.com/history/Schnitzel/Wienerschnitzel.htm

 

What is Wiener Schnitzel?

Wienerschnitzel is a thin crumbed slice of veal (usually 3 to 6 ounces) fried in oil and served with lemon, and often ligonberry jam and Erdapfel potato salad (German Potato Salad) Pomme Frits (French Fries) or boiled potatoes with parsley and butter.

 

And good it is too!

[ho-hum]

So here is ho hum waiting and praying that his beloved, twenty year old, Jeep Orvis Cherokee passes it's annual MOT (British vehicle worthiness test) and he thought it would be an ideal opportunity to clear some of his old notes, copies of letters sent and general jottings that did'nt make the grade (drivel always makes the grade Abenaki) from his tablet before they are sent to the waste paper basket in the sky.

 

Ho hum could'nt let this one go before sharing it with you all.

It's one of those:

"Well you (world) can push me around all you like but never ever threaten my mother !"

Contains expletives....dont tell ho hum you've never heard the expressions before or your of a delicate nature that Anglo-Saxon is too robust for you. Come on ho hum knows you are not like that.....you have been accustomed to the odd "expression" for a while now.

May ho hum continue ?

Here it is.

A reply letter to a company that is demanding payment for a bill that should never have been charged due to a previous cancellation.

The lady in question had been clients of that alarm company for over thirty years when it first began. She even remembers one of the original owners who came to actually instal the alarm. Well he sold that business many years later and it had been taken over a couple of times since, each time sending letters out exclaiming how valuable their new clients were to them.

Well this cosy relationship came to a head as you can view from this letter from the lady client (well she may have ad some assistance) to the company when despite cancelling a service they proceeded to invoice her six months later for a renewal of the service contract for her alarm.

 

 

Dear Sir,

 

When you get to my age (**, you know) you sometimes get a tad confused.

The name on your letter demanding payment in 7 days is stated that it comes from Lucas M but my son keeps referring to a f*******ng heartless bastard !

It's a bit odd that a person offering their first name is also threatening me.

So what is your real name ?

If you dont mind, I will refer to you as Sir.

I know we live in a less formal time but in light of your demand, I expect you to show me a little more respect having been a client of your company for over 30 years, you treat me like this !

So refer to me as Madam, you dis-respectful little ****.

Now this informality has it's drawbacks, doesn't it.

In my case, I have asked my son to help me out dealing with some of my affairs.

He is good boy, honest and competent: he ran a few successful businesses too, so he knows the ropes.

Well he thought he did until dealing with your company.

You know all your correspondence is to ******: well that was my husband, he died in November, 19**. Thanks for reminding me of him. No you never bothered to change the client name despite writing to you a couple of times. Eventually I just gave up.

It's silly I know but I miss him every day and especially when I am being treated by a bully like you.

 

I suspect you weren't even born thirty year ago !

If you were then shame on you, you should know better.

Your customer relations and lack of respect and bullying is shameful.

How would you feel if this demand was sent to your grandmother ?

My husband, his father, my father, my three sisters and I stood up to bullies like you in WWII, so a little **** like you is a minor irritant who needs to be taught a lesson that he can't just go round intimidating people.

 

Well I wont be paying the bill.

Due notice of contact termination was given. If it was'nt passed onto the appropriate department then that is your problem not mine. That is how you prefer to run a company by verbal instructions then you have to accept the consequences if they are not passed on.

 

My son is very upset.

Between you and me he is taking it badly.

I suppose dealing with me, seeing me confined to bed and all the problems I have can be a bit much sometimes for him.

I can understand why he gets upset and a bit angry too but you must admit you have been a bit of a little ****, haven't you ?

 

The problem began when I was admitted to hospital. I was bleeding from my *****; blood everywhere, darling, simply everywhere. Needed a couple of blood transfusions.

I was kept in quite a while and am now too frail to return home.

Yes it's sad. It was a huge blow.

 

That began in mid-January and now I am in a Home as you can see from the enclosed photo.

I guess you think people that dont pay you, do so because they are cheats and the like: scum as you prefer to think of us.

A photo says it all. Sorry I cant get up but you are one of a select few who can see me in bed !

If this is in-sufficient and you still think I am avoiding payment for nefarious reasons then you are welcome to write to my doctor. (Dr.******).

 

Well this situation began when my son passed on a letter to me from your company asking to make an inspection or something like that.

Well you can imagine I had a few other things on my mind: like keeping alive and reducing the pain.

No you wouldn't understand.

Just wait a while: you will son, you will.

I just hope you are'nt bothered by suspicious little ****s like you in these times.

 

My son said he would phone you to sort things out and told me not to worry.

I trust him absolutely and if he said he phoned you he would have done.

He explained I was now in a Home and that I did'nt need an alarm service or repair and that I wished to cancel the contract.

The lady he spoke to was very good and she told him everything would be sorted.

I received no further correspondence from you to proceed with arranging repair and so knew my instructions had been received.

 

But then you wrote again six months later.

 

I re-confirm that I gave you due notice to cancel in the modern way of telephoning you.

If you choose to selectively ignore instructions over the phone, so be it but instructions were given and accepted.

The matter is now closed as far as I am concerned.

So take me to court.

I will probably be dead anyway (born ********* 19**: well do you feel lucky punk ?).

My son is an executor and will be contesting any claim submitted by yourself.

In fact he said he would love to meet you.

Do you play cricket ? He has a huge bat he would like to show you. See, you do have things in common with him. He would love to "hit you for six". You better be a good bowler.

 

He is preparing to send this letter to a few chums, journalists and his mother's MP.

He is a sharing kind of chap.

 

Let's hope the bad publicity associated with your company leads to your dismissal, then you will have time to visit me but be prepared .......my catheter gets detached quite often !

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

The claim was dropped with apologies. Shame in a way: never got to "hit him for six" !

 

 

The Jeep passed the MOT.

 

Ho hum will tell you one thing that happened.

On the way down to the MOT station, ho hum decided he would drop off a large sack of old wine bottles in the Council dump next door (well re-cycling centre actually. Ho hum's very "green").

Why does'nt ho hum put his wine bottles out in the bins for collection ?

There are too many of them darling ! That's why.

So obviously some of the bottles contained drops of wine and when they were thrown into the sack and then thrown into the Jeep...well the wine seeped out.

Quite a honk !

No problem you think.

The MOT examiner is a Mr.Khan !

A second generation immigrant from Pakistan most likely and what else ?...........muslim......and what dont muslims do......drink alcohol !

And the back of ho hum's Jeep is swimming in the stuff !!

After a nervous wait thinking all kinds of scenarios, he returns to the office and a few moments later a well endowed lady hands ho hum the white pass notice !

God works in mysterious ways !

Ho hum returns to the Jeep and opens the door......the Jeep reeks of alcohol....Mr.Khan was probably p******ed just from the fumes of alcohol !!!

 

On return to the estate, ho hum relates the story to blondie and a bottle is opened to celebrate !

Drink to celebrate, drink to commiserate ...... Just make sure you drink good stuff.

[ho-hum]

Ho hum has been able to obtain plans from deep inside the underground bunker in Oslo: headquarters of SDYMCA.

 

There are plans to re-model one or two of the cabins and Owners Suite on Sea Dream based on a design adopted elsewhere.

 

Sea Dream goes all Liberace !

 

See photo. What do you think ? Beyonce would like it. Elton John says he would try Sea Dream if the works are undertaken.

[ho-hum]

Thinking aloud here guys.

 

What do you think of Sea Dream doing a Norway trip combining Northern Lights and Star Gazing ?

 

Do you think Sea Dream would be suitable ?

 

HH would love to do something like this and of course only with Sea Dream.

[ho-hum]

Thinking aloud here guys.

 

What do you think of Sea Dream doing a Norway trip combining Northern Lights and Star Gazing ?

 

Do you think Sea Dream would be suitable ?

 

HH would love to do something like this and of course only with Sea Dream.

 

 

Oopps ! What a daft idea HH ! Northern Lights is in winter....vessels need to be in warmer climes (please god not Asia). Sorry folks. Will just have to do the Hurtigurten instead. No people carriers for Ho Hum.

[gcmv]

On the way down to the MOT station, ho hum decided he would drop off a large sack of old wine bottles in the Council dump next door (well re-cycling centre actually. Ho hum's very "green").

Why does'nt ho hum put his wine bottles out in the bins for collection ?

There are too many of them darling ! That's why.

 

Take a look at the attached photo taken directly after "green ho-hum" deflated the car: How did ho hum manage to bunker all these bottles inside the Jeep boot?

No wonder that a little bit of the "goodness" spilled inside his vehicle ... :D

[gcmv]

Dearest ho-hum,

especially to tease future international (posh) guests:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=45495121&postcount=47

 

Try it out! ;)

[kathyanddanny]

gcmv,

 

Europa 2 looks fabulous!!! Thanks for the link!

Will definately do more research. Love the interior design and space.

 

Kathy.

[kathyanddanny]

Hi Mrs. Duke: There is a large group of 30 cabins on this voyage, but I do not see any children in the group. When groups are on board we do not allow them to monopolize any common areas and all guests are given the "SeaDream service" we are known for. We do not advertise SeaDream as being for "couples only" to my knowledge as SeaDream voyages are open to all. We look forward to serving you and Mr. Proulx() on board SeaDream II on February 14, 2015.

 

This, from a Laurence B. Major.

 

Kathy.

Edited February 4, 2015 by kathyanddanny

[Zimmy]

Kathy, on our voyage last month there was a large group of family/friends from Texas. It was not as large as thirty cabins however; it was about 20 - 30 people. I saw little impact from this, other than that they had booked their own tours so there were twenty fewer people to go on SD's tours, which probably led to more cancelled excursions. I don't know because we were not affected. Talking to one of the group at the hotel after the cruise, she told me that they really were not that much of a group but had banded together to get discounted rates on cabins.

[Jim Avery]

Hi Mrs. Duke: There is a large group of 30 cabins on this voyage, but I do not see any children in the group. When groups are on board we do not allow them to monopolize any common areas and all guests are given the "SeaDream service" we are known for. We do not advertise SeaDream as being for "couples only" to my knowledge as SeaDream voyages are open to all. We look forward to serving you and Mr. Proulx() on board SeaDream II on February 14, 2015.

 

This, from a Laurence B. Major.

 

Kathy.

 

Interesting as we have all seen the SD website home page touting "56 Couples".

[kathyanddanny]

Interesting as we have all seen the SD website home page touting "56 Couples".

 

Jim, that's what I was thinking!?...do I call him on this? Hmmm.

I just replied, stating the same thing...

 

Wow! Instant reply from Lawrence... Sorry our advertisement misled you. Hmmm?

Edited February 4, 2015 by kathyanddanny

[Zimmy]

Jim, that's what I was thinking!?...do I call him on this? Hmmm.

 

Other than the satisfaction of directing him to the website and saying "ha" , what good would it do you?