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

Coralc · June 26, 2023

Sorry. I am still thinking about cold, and sheets. All the folks in sweltering climates are probably not thinking about them. We started off with flannel sheets during the winter, because they were a lot warmer than our usual Percale. And then we discovered CuddlDuds sheets! Which are light-weight fleece sheets. Oh My Gosh! They are so warm and cozy and comfy!

Our utility bills are insane here during the winter. We have usually switched out by now. But we still have the CuddlDuds on. I don't usually recommend products, but we were amazed by how cozy these are. Kohls carries them and I bought another set on clearance when our Kmarts closed. I think if anyone in cold weather climates tries them, they might be pleasantly surprised.

Bailey & Sophie · June 26, 2023

7 minutes ago, Coralc said:

Sorry. I am still thinking about cold, and sheets. All the folks in sweltering climates are probably not thinking about them. We started off with flannel sheets during the winter, because they were a lot warmer than our usual Percale. And then we discovered CuddlDuds sheets! Which are light-weight fleece sheets. Oh My Gosh! They are so warm and cozy and comfy!

Our utility bills are insane here during the winter. We have usually switched out by now. But we still have the CuddlDuds on. I don't usually recommend products, but we were amazed by how cozy these are. Kohls carries them and I bought another set on clearance when our Kmarts closed. I think if anyone in cold weather climates tries them, they might be pleasantly surprised.

I'll have to check out cuddle duds. I have the long unders and snuggle tops that I love. I used to have a heated mattress pad that took the edge off crawling into cold sheets (awesomeness). It quit working and haven't found a replacement. Winters are cold here!

Edited June 26, 2023 by Bailey & Sophie
Clarification

ollienbertsmum · June 26, 2023

11 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Hot and humid 75°F here at 22.18pm.

Another hot day forecast for tomorrow.

Most of us in the UK don't have air conditioning in our houses because usually we don't get continuous hot weather.

Been watching the cricket and see how hot it looks at Trent Bridge. I think we are fortunate that we get sea breezes and can bathe when it is this hot - although A/C is becoming more common (not for me, I hate it).

ollienbertsmum · June 26, 2023

7 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I’m retiring this week after 44 years.

Welcome to the world of no more weekends and Bank Holidays. I have almost completed my first year and love it.

Before I left work people were asking ‘but what will you do with yourself??’ There were times that I wondered if they were right and that I would be bored. They were so wrong. To be honest I could spend my days at home and never go out. However I now have so much more time for my family, which is precious to me. I walk eldest’s dog, I meet girls for lunch once a week, I have time to cook a family supper, I have time to babysit my cute nephew occasionally, I now have a balcony (tiny) full of plants, I can go swimming/walks more often and I can visit my elderly parents more than just annually. They really are getting frail and I might have to stay for much longer periods, but I least I can.

One of my current obsessions is with caterpillars. I don’t like them eating my lettuces but cannot kill them. I have bought a cage and feed them. I watch them change over time and release them (hopefully to fly away from MY lettuces) once they emerge from their cocoons. At first I was disappointed that I keep getting moths and not butterflies, but actually they are equally interesting. Now would I have had time to do that with a full-time job???

And now my sister has given me a new obsession. An App called Merlin. It is free from Cornell lab. It helps you identify birds around you, the easy way is by bird song. We mostly get gulls, but it is surprising listening out to how many sparrows, swifts and doves we have around.

Life is so interesting this side of work. I hope you feel the same.

Sunshine3601 · June 26, 2023

10 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

I didn’t save anything from the Worlds Fair.However,my parents went to the 1939 Worlds Fair and saved something that I have now.It is a 3D projection of what the US wil look like in 2000.

Curious, how does the projection from 1939 compare to the actual in 2000?

dpostman · June 26, 2023

1 hour ago, ollienbertsmum said:

Welcome to the world of no more weekends and Bank Holidays. I have almost completed my first year and love it.

Before I left work people were asking ‘but what will you do with yourself??’ There were times that I wondered if they were right and that I would be bored. They were so wrong. To be honest I could spend my days at home and never go out. However I now have so much more time for my family, which is precious to me. I walk eldest’s dog, I meet girls for lunch once a week, I have time to cook a family supper, I have time to babysit my cute nephew occasionally, I now have a balcony (tiny) full of plants, I can go swimming/walks more often and I can visit my elderly parents more than just annually. They really are getting frail and I might have to stay for much longer periods, but I least I can.

One of my current obsessions is with caterpillars. I don’t like them eating my lettuces but cannot kill them. I have bought a cage and feed them. I watch them change over time and release them (hopefully to fly away from MY lettuces) once they emerge from their cocoons. At first I was disappointed that I keep getting moths and not butterflies, but actually they are equally interesting. Now would I have had time to do that with a full-time job???

And now my sister has given me a new obsession. An App called Merlin. It is free from Cornell lab. It helps you identify birds around you, the easy way is by bird song. We mostly get gulls, but it is surprising listening out to how many sparrows, swifts and doves we have around.

Life is so interesting this side of work. I hope you feel the same.

Very Nice. I'm going to have to check out that Merlin App. Thank you.

I hope to be able to somewhat follow your same path when I retire. My youngest just finished her first year at university. My DW is back at university completing her PhD, so if all goes according to plan (My plan), I'll be able to retire early and DW will be able to support me 😉

Here is a pic that I took in our parsley a few summers ago. We get them almost every year in our carrot leaves or our parsley. image.png.19c85bfdd2a89dc4391492f58a81b74a.png

They become Swallowtail Butterfly. We are friends with a local biologist that takes them from us and he then uses them for classroom projects. Some have been 3 inches long and the size of my small finger.

dp

Sunshine3601 · June 26, 2023

9 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I’m retiring this week after 44 years.

Congratulations!!

h20skibum · June 26, 2023

24 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Curious, how does the projection from 1939 compare to the actual in 2000?

I would be interested in knowing that also.

By the way, In the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, my grandfather won a gold medal.

This is what the front of the medal looks like

And the back

ollienbertsmum · June 26, 2023

29 minutes ago, dpostman said:

Very Nice. I'm going to have to check out that Merlin App. Thank you.

I hope to be able to somewhat follow your same path when I retire. My youngest just finished her first year at university. My DW is back at university completing her PhD, so if all goes according to plan (My plan), I'll be able to retire early and DW will be able to support me 😉

Here is a pic that I took in our parsley a few summers ago. We get them almost every year in our carrot leaves or our parsley.

They become Swallowtail Butterfly. We are friends with a local biologist that takes them from us and he then uses them for classroom projects. Some have been 3 inches long and the size of my small finger.

dp

Those caterpillars are amazing. I am glad that you do not have to kill them. The insect population is so threatened by pesticides and by loss of habitat. Even if my lettuces do not do so well, I feel that the environment is winning.

I actually completed my PhD two weeks before I retired. I wrote two reports that I signed as Dr Bear rather than Mrs. I did not need the qualification for my job and I could not use it for promotion. Now the only person that calls me Dr Bear is my nail technician! I am however happy that I did it. It was one of those ‘personal challenge’ things. It would have been easier to do a marathon.

jmh2006 · June 26, 2023

11 hours ago, akcruz said:

I was just 3, barely remember the big globe but that's about it.

Me too April! I know I have seen a picture of me in front of it and I went looking for it but it must still be with my Dad.

dpostman · June 26, 2023

1 hour ago, ollienbertsmum said:

Those caterpillars are amazing. I am glad that you do not have to kill them. The insect population is so threatened by pesticides and by loss of habitat. Even if my lettuces do not do so well, I feel that the environment is winning.

I actually completed my PhD two weeks before I retired. I wrote two reports that I signed as Dr Bear rather than Mrs. I did not need the qualification for my job and I could not use it for promotion. Now the only person that calls me Dr Bear is my nail technician! I am however happy that I did it. It was one of those ‘personal challenge’ things. It would have been easier to do a marathon.

For the caterpillars, They can have all the Carrot leaves they want. It does not harm the carrots anyway 😉

As for completing your PhD, I wish to congratulate you. As a first hand witness to how much work and involvement it is, I truly admire the monumental persistence it requires. I always thought I had an idea of how much work it was, until she started. My DW is also not required to do it for her job but it will add credibility to the works on education leadership and education environment that she loves to work on. She is doing this while working. Also, she just found out she will be teaching a Masters course at the University starting this fall. So that is why I have so much time I can spend on CC 😉

I do not have the same level of academic education as her, but luckily... I love debating 🙂

And, in the future, if she gets any busier going to all those conferences around the world, and she needs an assistant to help her with her travels... well so be it. I'll just have to help out I guess 😁.

dp

Edited June 26, 2023 by dpostman

Sea Dog · June 26, 2023

11 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I’m retiring this week after 44 years.

Congratulations and welcome to the club! I think you will like retirement. I know I do. Stay busy though. Activity is the key to happiness.

11 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I can't see myself retired either. I don't know how I'd give up something that I wanted from as far back as I can remember.

Good for you. When your job is your passion it makes it easy to keep on working.

ValerieJo · June 26, 2023

1 hour ago, jmh2006 said:

Me too April! I know I have seen a picture of me in front of it and I went looking for it but it must still be with my Dad.

I also have a picture somewhere in front of the Big Globe.

Lionesss · June 26, 2023

On 6/24/2023 at 9:45 PM, lenquixote66 said:

The Worlds Fair of 1964 was a fantastic experience.

I still have the scarf with the worlds fair logo, a card from the mercury mission capsule. And remember the car ride through the large building.
And who could forget seeing “ it’s a small world”.
I remember my mom crying seeing the “Pieta” from Rome.

The scarf.
or

Babushka as my mother called them.

DaniDanielle · June 26, 2023

Sherlock has settled in. Wendall, still not sure about him!

sgmn · June 26, 2023

18 hours ago, dpostman said:

Done. 16 half pint jars Rhubarb syrup concentrate that have been waterbath processed + 1 Rhubarb Simple Syrup.

And for "Quality control" Since it is Sunday, I opted for a Rhubarb Gin ? Tonic rather than a Martini 😉

dp

That looks delicious

I would maybe add a little ginger to experiment

HBE4 · June 26, 2023

Somewhere deep in my attic is a souvenir 1964 Worlds Fair metal serving tray similar to this. Except it's heavily used. A lot of scratches, chips in the paint and maybe a few dents when I used it as a Frisbee. Later on, my siblings lamented the beating it took as they thought it would be worth a lot of money someday. A quick look on eBay (where I found this picture) reveal an asking price of $15 - $20 dollars. Not exactly enough to buy that beach house. Glad I played with it. 🙂

There is also a tattered guide book

Edited June 26, 2023 by HBE4

HBE4 · June 26, 2023

1 hour ago, singinalot said:

At first glance, it appears the dog is enjoying an adult beverage.

Edited June 26, 2023 by HBE4

lenquixote66 · June 26, 2023

4 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Curious, how does the projection from 1939 compare to the actual in 2000?

It is unbelievably accurate.

lenquixote66 · June 26, 2023

50 minutes ago, Lionesss said:

I still have the scarf with the worlds fair logo, a card from the mercury mission capsule. And remember the car ride through the large building.
And who could forget seeing “ it’s a small world”.
I remember my mom crying seeing the “Pieta” from Rome.

The scarf.
or

Babushka as my mother called them.

I don’t remember that.

lenquixote66 · June 26, 2023

TSOTD is the Long Island Ducks baseball team.It is not a minor league team.
Many of the players,coaches and the Manager have MLB experience.

lenquixote66 · June 26, 2023

13 hours ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I’m retiring this week after 44 years.

Congratulations.I retired after working 43 years but not with just one employer.

grapau27 · June 26, 2023

1 hour ago, singinalot said:

we had a fun and busy weekend here!

Saturday morning we had a grand opening for my uncle’s new office building in downtown Tampa followed by lunch with the family and Saturday night we had dinner for my girlfriend’s birthday.

Dinner was supper club style in the home of chefs who wanted to be their own boss’ so they rented this loft in an old restored church. It was a really neat experience.

https://www.sanctuarylofts.com/historical.php