PRINCESS CRUISERS: HOW ARE THINGS WHERE YOU ARE?!

[Reader0108598]

On 8/16/2021 at 9:11 PM, Thrak said:

Our son in Burnt Ranch posted this pic that was taken last night. This was taken from the front porch of his house.

 

 

 

Oh my God!

[LoriPhil]

The Alaska 2023 cruises are posted now.  Elites can book right now, but I think others must wait a few days before they can (not sure of the timing there, but we can see the Alaska Cruises, ships and dates and plan accordingly).  

[Loki S]

7 hours ago, LoriPhil said:

The Alaska 2023 cruises are posted now.  Elites can book right now, but I think others must wait a few days before they can (not sure of the timing there, but we can see the Alaska Cruises, ships and dates and plan accordingly).  

Book Alaska 2023 yesterday (AEST) was nearly sold out when I booked, thankfully 😅 I’m Elite and could book.

[LoriPhil]

Yep - we booked Sapphire B2B May 17, 2023 as a contingency in case next year doesn’t pan out… OR if we decide to do Alaska both years.  Late 60s and retired now so we will hope to increase cruising a tad, provided the kitty-sitter continues to be available.   
 

Last evening about 10 minutes after I filled the bird bath, our neighbor texted over a video of the mama bear and her two cubs strolling in our yard by the birdbath.  Don’t need to go to Alaska to sight wildlife, but we do need to go for that fabulous water, eagles and the lovely cruise experience.  Also need new sweatshirts and tees that we always get portside. 

[Loki S]

13 hours ago, LoriPhil said:

Yep - we booked Sapphire B2B May 17, 2023 as a contingency in case next year doesn’t pan out… OR if we decide to do Alaska both years.  Late 60s and retired now so we will hope to increase cruising a tad, provided the kitty-sitter continues to be available.   
 

Last evening about 10 minutes after I filled the bird bath, our neighbor texted over a video of the mama bear and her two cubs strolling in our yard by the birdbath.  Don’t need to go to Alaska to sight wildlife, but we do need to go for that fabulous water, eagles and the lovely cruise experience.  Also need new sweatshirts and tees that we always get portside. 

Wow that would be amazing to see in your yard. Love seeing our native wildlife around us, mainly birds like kookaburras, cockatoos, galas and many more. Have a mummy and baby possum living in the tree behind us, our dog 🐶  isn’t a fan when he sees them on the fence. Don’t need to go too far from where we live to see kangaroos 🦘. Love visiting and camping in various places that we can experience the wildlife.

[MamaFej]

We brought the motor home up to Small Town, Montana to visit our oldest. At the farmer's market today, I suddenly heard a very loud, "Hi, Mr. Fej...!"

 

It took a nanosecond for me to remember that we weren't on a high school campus where we'd done tons of volunteering over 11 years, and that the teen was calling out to our son, not my husband. We ended up having a lovely conversation with the young lady. Our son is her favorite teacher, ever. She had him for Global Studies as a sophomore, and is looking forward to having him for AP Government and Politics next year. Thanks to him, among hundreds of other things, she understands that communism, socialism, and facism are not synonyms, and that the terms should never be used interchangably. None of us had the heart to tell her that he's hoping to move onto a larger town or city next year. 

 

His goal is to end up in a city like Billings, where he went to college, or Missoula, where he lived for a year after college, chasing a romance that didn't work out, and working as a para educator, since it's the hardest city in the state to get a teaching job in. Love is blind. Sometimes it's dumb, as well. 

 

My goal is for him to come back to Southern California. He could make 80% more than he makes in Montana, and be close to the rest of the family. His little sister is a first year teacher, and her contract is for about 170% of his fourth year teacher salary. Of course, her rent is 233% of his. Different strokes for differnt folks. 

 

We spend the first 18+ years of our kids' lives raising them to need us less and less, to be able to make their own decisions, and to provide and save for themselves and their futures. The hardest thing is accepting that we've actually done a good job of it.

 

 

[suzyed]

Yikes!!  Very scary, indeed!

 

[Reader0108598]

7 hours ago, MamaFej said:

We brought the motor home up to Small Town, Montana to visit our oldest. At the farmer's market today, I suddenly heard a very loud, "Hi, Mr. Fej...!"

 

It took a nanosecond for me to remember that we weren't on a high school campus where we'd done tons of volunteering over 11 years, and that the teen was calling out to our son, not my husband. We ended up having a lovely conversation with the young lady. Our son is her favorite teacher, ever. She had him for Global Studies as a sophomore, and is looking forward to having him for AP Government and Politics next year. Thanks to him, among hundreds of other things, she understands that communism, socialism, and facism are not synonyms, and that the terms should never be used interchangably. None of us had the heart to tell her that he's hoping to move onto a larger town or city next year. 

 

His goal is to end up in a city like Billings, where he went to college, or Missoula, where he lived for a year after college, chasing a romance that didn't work out, and working as a para educator, since it's the hardest city in the state to get a teaching job in. Love is blind. Sometimes it's dumb, as well. 

 

My goal is for him to come back to Southern California. He could make 80% more than he makes in Montana, and be close to the rest of the family. His little sister is a first year teacher, and her contract is for about 170% of his fourth year teacher salary. Of course, her rent is 233% of his. Different strokes for differnt folks. 

 

We spend the first 18+ years of our kids' lives raising them to need us less and less, to be able to make their own decisions, and to provide and save for themselves and their futures. The hardest thing is accepting that we've actually done a good job of it.

 

 

I get it son is Sergeant with the State police ,has a beautiful family and an old  Victorian home I love. In ground pool for the kids came with the house! He is still my boy !I cannot beleve how fast it went but we did the right thing helped give them a good life!

 

[Doug R.]

Hope @Thrakand his family are doing well as all caught up in the western fires.  

 

Completed my radiation treatments on Tuesday and am starting to feel better. I will have follow up in November to gauge progress. I am now feeling good enough to start back on the exercise bike.

 

Marj and I will be headed to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina for a weeks vacation starting Labor Day weekend. We are breaking up the drive in both directions by stopping at the Navy Lodge at Norfolk Naval Base, which provides quality lodging at a fraction of the price of equivalent lodging off base, one of the perks of having served 21 years in the USAF.

 

Hope everyone is doing well!

Edited August 20, 2021 by Doug R.
Bad gramer and spelun.

[ceilie1]

Enjoy your special trip!Congratulations on finishing your treatments. 

And thank you for your past service for your Country.

[MamaFej]

Sigh. 

 

We went to our son's new rental today. It is a complete dive! What a dump! I am far more upset by our son's living conditions than my husband is. I fully recognize that this is because I have never been truly poor, and Hubby has. I've spent my life comfortably ensconced in the middle class.

 

Our son's new place is awful! 

 

It horrifies me that this is all he can afford on his own. He has two bachelor's degrees, with Honors. He is in his 4th year of teaching. The place he is living in is only barely fit for human habitation. 

 

Last year, he was in a two bedroom apartment, shared with another teacher he had never met before moving in. That teacher fell in love with another teacher, and now lives with her. Our son felt he could no longer afford the decent place on his own, so he agreed to move into this new place, sight unseen. 

 

Had he stayed in the other place, he'd have laundry and dishwashing machines. He'd have exterior paint which protects the wood exterior. He'd have a reasonable amount of space for his meager belongings. He'd have reliable electricity and water. This place has severely peeling paint, with much exposed wood. It has muddy, uncovered parking. It has a leaky roof. It is rife for rot. 

 

We literally have more counter space in the motor home than he has in this wretched rental home, and almost as much square footage. Had he stayed in the old place, he would have reliable electrical and water flow systems. He'd be safe from the rugged winter that lies ahead. 

 

It horrifies me that the state of Montana chooses to pay teachers so poorly that this wretched place is literally all our son can afford. 

 

He is earning the same amount I was earning as a 6th year teacher in 1995 in California, and that wasn't much. 

 

He is far too proud to have asked for our help to stay in last year's apartment. We would have gladly loaned him the $2400 difference, knowing that he would have paid us back over time. 

 

Hubby assures me that he will be fine, but I am truly concerned about what will happen in this awful, dreadful  place during a north Montana winter. 

 

I remember being his age. I never, ever would have accepted help from my parents. Heck, I wouldn't even allow them to pay for my books when I was in college. I felt that accepting tuition from them was far more than enough. I get the desire he has to make it on his own. 

 

It's just killing me to see him living like this. He was Valedictorain at his high school. He was among the top 1% of his college's graduates. He is a phenonomenally hard worker. 

 

He is so darn stubborn, and he loves living in the beautiful state, no matter how much he and his profession are disrespected here. 

 

I'd love to say that I have no idea where he got his stubborness and determination, but i don't think anyone would believe it. 

 

 

 

 

[MamaFej]

On a COMPLETELY different note, my hair looked fabulous today. I've had approximately 20 good hair days in my nearly 54.5 years of existence. Today was one such day. 

 

Of course, neither my husband, nor my son noticed. For some, unknown reason, I decided that you  follks needed to know. Now you do. 

[getting older slowly]

It is nice hear cruising has started for some....

 

With what is happening in the world.... one shouldn't complain

 

But as one get older... time is getting shorter.... places to see and trips to do..

 

We are looking forward to cruising again..  but the soonest it could be down here will be late 2022.... but not counting on it....

 

The one thing I miss is planing our next holiday.... but with things the way they are... it could be cancelled the day you leave... which means... you don't get excited... it is more fear and disappointment.... of will we get there ??

 

So for the mean time I will cruise in my dreams....

 

Don

[Reader0108598]

20 hours ago, Doug R. said:

Hope @Thrakand his family are doing well as all caught up in the western fires.  

 

Completed my radiation treatments on Tuesday and am starting to feel better. I will have follow up in November to gauge progress. I am now feeling good enough to start back on the exercise bike.

 

Marj and I will be headed to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina for a weeks vacation starting Labor Day weekend. We are breaking up the drive in both directions by stopping at the Navy Lodge at Norfolk Naval Base, which provides quality lodging at a fraction of the price of equivalent lodging off base, one of the perks of having served 21 years in the USAF.

 

Hope everyone is doing well!

Wonderful! enjoy your trip " 🙂

[dickinson]

@MamaFej I am so sorry.  Sounds like you have a wonderful son.  Did he ever say why he did not try to get a new roommate at his old location?  It is very hard to see your kids making bad decisions (I am not saying this was a bad decision but you don't like this decision).  Hopefully things will change for him soon.  Maybe finding a roommate and moving somewhere else?

[Doug R.]

18 hours ago, ceilie1 said:

Enjoy your special trip! Congratulations on finishing your treatments. 

And thank you for your past service for your Country.

 

5 hours ago, Reader0108598 said:

Wonderful! enjoy your trip " 🙂

Thanks for the good wishes! We had to cancel one cruise and one land vacation due to Covid 19 so this one is much needed!

[Reader0108598]

Okay a bit worried son is headed for NJ Vaca it is his Birthday ! Storms coming our way! Don't trust the weather anyway!

 

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Reader0108598

[MamaFej]

5 hours ago, dickinson said:

@MamaFej I am so sorry.  Sounds like you have a wonderful son.  Did he ever say why he did not try to get a new roommate at his old location?  It is very hard to see your kids making bad decisions (I am not saying this was a bad decision but you don't like this decision).  Hopefully things will change for him soon.  Maybe finding a roommate and moving somewhere else?

He did try to get another roommate to share the old apartment. He was unable to in this small town. 

 

He is stuck in this place until the end of June. Hopefully, by then, he will be off to a larger town or city. The slumlord knows that he has my son and his other tenants over a barrel. I'm very upset that he has to pay a flat $100/month for water, no matter how much or how little he uses. That seems downright unethical. At the old place, with a washing machine, and a second person, his metered water bill averaged $80/month.

 

We told him that he can bring his laundry to the motor home this week. He lit up at the prospect of saving $3.50 per load. I honestly wish that he would have asked us for a loan to make up for the $180-$200/month it would have taken to stay at the old $800/month place. Maybe a roommate could have come along eventually. I'm more furious that Montana pays teachers such incredibly low wages. Teacher pay in other states is also much lower than for jobs requiring similar levels of education and time commitments, but Montana is even worse than most. 

 

I am proud that he has a much better work/life balance than I did. I worked 60-70 hours per week when I taught, but was only paid for 35. I said yes to any request from administration, regardless of whether it came with a stipend. I took work home every day and weekend. He does almost everything on campus. that is much healthier. He gets paid for 35 hours and works about 50. We got to see his classroom yesterday. He's understandably proud of it. 

 

Anyway, this too shall pass. Hubby was very poor from the time he moved out of a hellish, abusive home at 16 until he was about 25. We met when he was 24, and I was still in college. Now we have a small family home, an RV, retirement savings, and can afford to cruise. Our son will be okay, it just sucks to see how he lives for now.

 

 

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, Reader0108598 said:

Okay a bit worried son is headed for NJ Vaca it is his Birthday ! Storms coming our way! Don't trust the weather anyway!

 

 

Oh, dear. I just saw the NY Governor's news conference about the storm. I hope your son (and everyone) will be safe. 

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, MamaFej said:

He did try to get another roommate to share the old apartment. He was unable to in this small town. 

 

He is stuck in this place until the end of June. Hopefully, by then, he will be off to a larger town or city. The slumlord knows that he has my son and his other tenants over a barrel. I'm very upset that he has to pay a flat $100/month for water, no matter how much or how little he uses. That seems downright unethical. At the old place, with a washing machine, and a second person, his metered water bill averaged $80/month.

 

We told him that he can bring his laundry to the motor home this week. He lit up at the prospect of saving $3.50 per load. I honestly wish that he would have asked us for a loan to make up for the $180-$200/month it would have taken to stay at the old $800/month place. Maybe a roommate could have come along eventually. I'm more furious that Montana pays teachers such incredibly low wages. Teacher pay in other states is also much lower than for jobs requiring similar levels of education and time commitments, but Montana is even worse than most. 

 

I am proud that he has a much better work/life balance than I did. I worked 60-70 hours per week when I taught, but was only paid for 35. I said yes to any request from administration, regardless of whether it came with a stipend. I took work home every day and weekend. He does almost everything on campus. that is much healthier. He gets paid for 35 hours and works about 50. We got to see his classroom yesterday. He's understandably proud of it. 

 

Anyway, this too shall pass. Hubby was very poor from the time he moved out of a hellish, abusive home at 16 until he was about 25. We met when he was 24, and I was still in college. Now we have a small family home, an RV, retirement savings, and can afford to cruise. Our son will be okay, it just sucks to see how he lives for now.

 

 

Tell your son he has this and your husband when we were young we slept in winter coats. That was because of the holes in the dump of a roof! Well dump of a rented home! Would never have let my son live like that and I do not have a lot of money!

Edited August 21, 2021 by Reader0108598

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, MamaFej said:

Oh, dear. I just saw the NY Governor's news conference about the storm. I hope your son (and everyone) will be safe. 

TY Me too !

[Cruzinnana47]

Bracing for the arrival of now-Hurricane Henri tomorrow.  Looks like it's due to hit NY and a good chunk of Southern New England (we live south of Boston, and have daughter living in Wareham close to the water on south-facing coast, near Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod Canal.  Our other daughter & son live in Plymouth, also on the coast. Should be an interesting Sunday for us all.

 

Hope everyone in Henri's path stays safe!

[Reader0108598]

12 minutes ago, Cruzinnana47 said:

Bracing for the arrival of now-Hurricane Henri tomorrow.  Looks like it's due to hit NY and a good chunk of Southern New England (we live south of Boston, and have daughter living in Wareham close to the water on south-facing coast, near Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod Canal.  Our other daughter & son live in Plymouth, also on the coast. Should be an interesting Sunday for us all.

 

Hope everyone in Henri's path stays safe!

In my thoughts !

[donswife]

Last night I had a wonderful dream that we no longer had to wear masks at work. Since I work in skilled nursing/rehab facilities,  I will likely retire before that actually happens! Oh well,  a girl can dream.

One of my patients sketched me last year.

Edited August 21, 2021 by donswife

[Reader0108598]

6 hours ago, Cruzinnana47 said:

Bracing for the arrival of now-Hurricane Henri tomorrow.  Looks like it's due to hit NY and a good chunk of Southern New England (we live south of Boston, and have daughter living in Wareham close to the water on south-facing coast, near Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod Canal.  Our other daughter & son live in Plymouth, also on the coast. Should be an interesting Sunday for us all.

 

Hope everyone in Henri's path stays safe!

Please let us know if u can I am in Ma son is in NJ on vacation! worried sick lol