Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[aussielozzie18]

@lenquixote66 Lenny, Happy 79th Birthday 🎉.  Have a wonderful time at your party with your family and friends.

[aussielozzie18]

@sgmn the size of that wasps nest.  Eeek.

[molly361]

Dan and I have eaten on paper plates for as long as I can remember. Don't know why but I am carrying on the tradition even with him gone 

[Sunshine3601]

59 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

The one thing I have learned from doing dinner parties is to make things that can be made the day before. It's too hard to cook everything the same day except for steaks. The other thing that I tried and it worked out incredible is pre-batching some of the cocktails. I made 6 servings of the the chocolate martini and put it in a pitcher and into the fridge. I also batched some espresso martini's. It made it so easy to just pour into a glass and hand them to guests.

 

 

 

Actually tonight Since Jonathan's home I am going to grill some more filet's and we have left over twice baked and the salads plus dessert. I'll make sure to take a picture tonight. The only thing it will be minus of is the bacon wrapped asparagus. 

Here are some of the recipes I used.

https://www.simplyscratch.com/greek-orzo-salad/

 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-potatoes-recipe-1925596

 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228126/caprese-salad-with-balsamic-reduction/

 

 

Greg your dinner party sounds wonderful. 😀  Thank you for the recipes.  I am definitely going to try the bacon wrapped asparagus

[aussielozzie18]

@Sea Dog Sign of a great dinner party - no photos.  You were too busy enjoying your friend’s company and all your delicious food & drinks.  Sounds like a wonderful evening.

[Sea Dog]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Greg your dinner party sounds wonderful. 😀  Thank you for the recipes.  I am definitely going to try the bacon wrapped asparagus

 

1 minute ago, aussielozzie18 said:

@Sea Dog Sign of a great dinner party - no photos.  You were too busy enjoying your friend’s company and all your delicious food & drinks.  Sounds like a wonderful evening.

 

As a gift for hosting one of friends who knows I'm a Christmas freak gave me this.

 

 

I'm recreating the meal again for tonight. I'll make sure to post some pics.

[DaniDanielle]

11 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

@DaniDanielle

 

Marietta,

 

I didn't forget you. If, until last Thursday, a cabin will make a brief "guest appearance", now - nothing 😢.

 

I'm following a cabin for 3, or 2 interior connecting cabins.

Thanks Dani, it is getting frustrating.  They have plenty of cabins but not for three.  They are pushing suites when we call!!

[aussielozzie18]

@jagsfan your friend Ginny sounds like a wonderful lady.  I hope she is surrounded by good friends and family while she deals with her new circumstances.

[DaniDanielle]

5 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Dan and I have eaten on paper plates for as long as I can remember. Don't know why but I am carrying on the tradition even with him gone 

My mom got us started on paper plates.  Throw them out when you are done!  She got tired of using her china.  

[OnTheJourney]

Wow...only was away for like 3 minutes after responding to a post by Graham and in that short time the thread is on the next page already. For those who like REALLY active threads, this is the place to be I reckon. 

[OnTheJourney]

5 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

Throw them out when you are done!  She got tired of using her china.  

👍🏻

[OnTheJourney]

Tell you what DOES always bother me though....seeing all that nice Christmas wrapping paper get ripped off, crumbled up and pitched. I've often tried to carefully peel off the scotch tape, fold up paper and put it back in the Christmas wrapping bin for reuse. I know...more fun to rip into it (and that's what I basically do)..just hate to see paper wasted in general. TOO much junk mail. Save the trees already!  Sorry..another digression...

Edited July 24, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[aussielozzie18]

Watched the last of the Tour De France coverage yesterday.  I just love the full coverage of the mountain stages - The Alps & The Pyrenees.  The sweeping views from the helicopters, the challenge of the tough gradients going up the mountains and the equally challenging rapid descents. The cyclists dealing with the passionate roadside fans in the narrow roads near the top of the mountains. All this keeps me glued to the screen.

 

[Sea Dog]

13 minutes ago, DaniDanielle said:

My mom got us started on paper plates.  Throw them out when you are done!  She got tired of using her china.  

 

We use paper plates too. That's one reason our dishwasher has lasted so long we run it about once a week. After my parents passed I inherited their silver and china. My wife talked about if we would ever use it and said no so we sold it all.

[aussielozzie18]

Loathe paper plates.  They sag and don’t support food or cutting of food.  Prefer hard plastic plates for picnics etc.  Dinner plates for eating indoors.  Dishwashers are there for a reason.

Personal opinion not having a go at anyone else’s choices.

Edited July 24, 2022 by aussielozzie18

[DeltaOne]

10 minutes ago, aussielozzie18 said:

Watched the last of the Tour De France coverage yesterday.  I just love the full coverage of the mountain stages - The Alps & The Pyrenees.  The sweeping views from the helicopters, the challenge of the tough gradients going up the mountains and the equally challenging rapid descents. The cyclists dealing with the passionate roadside fans in the narrow roads near the top of the mountains. All this keeps me glued to the screen.

 

It was a great tour.  We enjoyed it here too.

 

La Vuelta (the tour in Spain) will be on Peacock and begins August 19th.  I don't know if we'll watch as much...thinking of just watching the last hour or so each day.

[Luckynana]

31 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

 

As a gift for hosting one of friends who knows I'm a Christmas freak gave me this.

 

 

I'm recreating the meal again for tonight. I'll make sure to post some pics.

Perfect gift for the perfect host!!  It incorporates your love of Christmas as well as your love of entertaining!

I had a collection of Nutcrackers for years, but got rid of them prior to our big move to NJ. 

[molly361]

25 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

 

We use paper plates too. That's one reason our dishwasher has lasted so long we run it about once a week. After my parents passed I inherited their silver and china. My wife talked about if we would ever use it and said no so we sold it all.

My dishwasher has never worked properly and I have only used it less than 10 times probably in the 11 years that I have lived here.  Most people LOVE their dishwashers

[derorim]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

... we have left over twice baked ...

 

So, does that make them thrice baked?  🙂  Actually, I love them so much that I'd take them baked four times, but I don't know what that's called.  

[Sea Dog]

Just now, derorim said:

 

So, does that make them thrice baked?  🙂  Actually, I love them so much that I'd take them baked four times, but I don't know what that's called.  

Yeah I guess that would be accurate. They are a pain to make but oh so good. They have so called twice baked potatoes that are made up at the grocery store but they don't taste very good. The recipe I posted above is Lee Drummond's (Pioneer Woman) recipe. I tweak it by adding some Philadelphia cream cheese to the recipe. So good.

[George C]

I buy paper plates and plastic plates at sams , use them for some pet food, and we order pizza every Sunday and use paper plates for the pizza.

[h20skibum]

Today, we were in Titusville, PA, for Christmas in July aboard the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad.  
 

 

Titusville is known as the birthplace of Oil, and it was here that Edwin Drake drilled the first commercial oil well in 1859.  That oil strike spawned an oil drilling boom in the area.  In fact, my grandfather, who was born in 1885, worked on several oil wells that were still producing in this area in the early to mid 1900’s. 

 

All aboard for Christmas in July. 

 

 

 

 

The conductor had a little trouble coaxing the ticket from this guy. 😏

 

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Claus met us at the station and climbed aboard to visit with all the kids and give them some small presents. 

 

 

It seems that Santa likes The Beach Boys, because they were playing most of the ride.  

 

The train traveled south from Titusville, along Oil Creek, to the village of Rynd Farm.  They then decoupled the locomotive and moved it to the opposite end for the return trip.  

 

We are in an 1865 passenger rail car with Santa. 

 

They have one car as an open air platform, so you can enjoy the views.  However, there isn’t much to see along this route this time of year, since Oil Creek State Park is heavily wooded.  
 

 

I would say the highlight scenery was this guy’s house.  

 

 

I am taking notes for decorating ideas.  I need to buy a few flamingos. 

[reallyitsmema]

12 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

 

 

I wonder if those belong at that house or did they get flocked.

[A&L_Ont]

Lenny, Happy Birthday to you. 

[A&L_Ont]

5 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

@Ocean Boy

 

+ 1

 

Me too.