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

[John&LaLa]

41 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

cook with regular oven temp of 350 

I prefer not to use convection oven when baking.  

 

I've always thought baking was what convection ovens excelled at.

[John&LaLa]

7 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

 

I sense a dusturbance in the tranquility here from the dark side..... We need you Luke Skywalker... the force is strong.

 

Time to break out the Christmas Puppy🤔

Edited December 20, 2021 by John&LaLa

[Luckynana]

4 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Woke up to this around 12:30 last night.  Neighbors across the street had a small fire back part of their house.  Everyone is fine.

there was fire trucks and emergency vehicles lined up and down the street.  

I dont know what started the fire yet.  They turned off electric and gas for both houses next door. 

How tragic!  Have they found the cause of the fire yet?  In the 42 years we lived in our home on S.I., there had been 5 house fires on our block, on one of the house fires, it was a 2 family home which was totally destroyed, which also damaged the home next door extensively, also.  Within these two homes, there were 3 children (from the totaled home) and a special needs young man from the second home.  Naturally, it was sometime after midnight.  I woke to not only the sirens, but the awful smell of smoke.  We quickly got dressed and took the children into our home, as well as Anthony, our special needs neighbor.  Our daughter got the 3 children to sleep in our living room, and I held Anthony's hand for quite a long time, and brought him inside, also.  Luckily, no one was injured.  Anthony and his mom had to live elsewhere for well over a year while their home was being repaired.  Naturally, the other two families were displaced.

I don't know what it is about our old block, but last month, my girlfriend texted a picture of our friends' home which had a kitchen fire, displacing them also.😢

3 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

A storm is brewing.... winter is finally here.

 

Beautiful pictures, Dani.  Winter is certainly here in N.J.  It was 24 degrees this morning.

2 hours ago, h20skibum said:

  Now we are this far out, and the first week now is included in the new masking everywhere except outdoors protocol.

We are starting to see a number of cancellations on the sailing, so maybe those families with unvaxed children are weighing the possible disruptions should they or their kids test positive.

 

For us, it is still full speed ahead.  We will be closely watching the packed, holiday cruises to see how they turn out.  

Wishing you a safe trip, and a happy cruise!

[A&L_Ont]

These used two be two holiday favourites of mine… 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by A&L_Ont

[jagsfan]

12 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Hmmm let me think.  This is an RCI thread, the poster specifically referenced a cruise he was on with RCI in Alaska, yea it has to do with cruising on RCI.

I don’t believe you are familiar with this thread. It is an opportunity to connect with fellow cruisers during the pandemic. 
It has been a wonderful outlet for our daily wins and losses,  and we have become family. No nastiness, no judgements, just chatting while we wait for the world to get past this time. 
We don’t make snarky remarks; we do congratulate each other for achievements, sympathize with each other at sad times, and, in general, look forward to communicating with each other. 
If you read previous posts, you’ll get it. 
If you don’t understand or feel like this isn’t a good fit, there are plenty more threads to join. 
We have our own little niche, thanks to @dani negreanuand we love it. 

 

[Luckynana]

Amen to that, Mimi!!!!❤️

[helen haywood]

If this thread were solely for Royal cruisers then I, who sail Celebrity primarily, have certainly been out of place posting all my cat pictures!!

[A&L_Ont]

If that didn’t make you reach for the Kleenex, here is one I just found today. 
 

 

[A&L_Ont]

3 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

If this thread were solely for Royal cruisers then I, who sail Celebrity primarily, have certainly been out of place posting all my cat pictures!!

You have the right spirit for here, no matter the cruise line. 

[Ozark_Kid]

After hitting submit on the last post CC locked me out and it didn’t look liked it post.  I thought maybe that’s a sign I shouldn’t of post it 😂.

 

After reading what everyone was experiencing after getting the booster I thought, do I want to go through that?  Then I thought, I’m retired, I can afford to to be sore and worn out a few days.  I got the booster and flu shot.  Insurance finally approved Sharon to get her first prolia shot.  She is scheduled to get it Wednesday.  They recommended to have a week between the prolia and booster shot so she just got the flu shot and will do the booster later.

[grapau27]

43 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Time to break out the Christmas Puppy🤔

Works every time.

We love Bella.

[dani negreanu]

23 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

I don’t believe you are familiar with this thread. It is an opportunity to connect with fellow cruisers during the pandemic. 
It has been a wonderful outlet for our daily wins and losses,  and we have become family. No nastiness, no judgements, just chatting while we wait for the world to get past this time. 
We don’t make snarky remarks; we do congratulate each other for achievements, sympathize with each other at sad times, and, in general, look forward to communicating with each other. 
If you read previous posts, you’ll get it. 
If you don’t understand or feel like this isn’t a good fit, there are plenty more threads to join. 
We have our own little niche, thanks to @dani negreanuand we love it. 

 

17 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Amen to that, Mimi!!!!❤️

 

Thank you Mimi ( @jagsfan) and Maryann ( @Lucky Nana). I was getting emotional following your so well said and kind words, Mimi, and then Andrew's( @A&L_Ont) post made me crying buckets.

 💕

 

17 minutes ago, helen haywood said:

If this thread were solely for Royal cruisers then I, who sail Celebrity primarily, have certainly been out of place posting all my cat pictures!!

 

💕

12 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

You have the right spirit for here, no matter the cruise line. 

 

 💕

 

14 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

If that didn’t make you reach for the Kleenex, here is one I just found today. 

I've finished the box  💕

[lenquixote66]

15 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Has anyone here cruised Alaska in early May?  If so, how did you like it.   The fall itineraries will not work.  

I cruised to Alaska in 2008,a 14 day trip,7 days land ,7 days sea.We packed for cold weather and they had the warmest temperatures ever .Aside from that it was a great trip.The land portion was touring by bus ,train and walking.We had virtually non stop activity,day and night.

[grapau27]

33 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

I don’t believe you are familiar with this thread. It is an opportunity to connect with fellow cruisers during the pandemic. 
It has been a wonderful outlet for our daily wins and losses,  and we have become family. No nastiness, no judgements, just chatting while we wait for the world to get past this time. 
We don’t make snarky remarks; we do congratulate each other for achievements, sympathize with each other at sad times, and, in general, look forward to communicating with each other. 
If you read previous posts, you’ll get it. 
If you don’t understand or feel like this isn’t a good fit, there are plenty more threads to join. 
We have our own little niche, thanks to @dani negreanuand we love it. 

 

Hear Hear 

Well said Mimi.

How are you feeling with your new pacemaker?.

Graham x.

[bobmacliberty]

11 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

After reading what everyone was experiencing after getting the booster I thought, do I want to go through that?  Then I thought, I’m retired, I can afford to to be sore and worn out a few days.  

 

This was our thought exactly, based on our previous experience.  We were originally targeting to get it on Friday (walk-ins) with no plans for Sat/Sun.  Since we couldn't get the shot as a walk-in, we had to delay until Saturday and I'm still feeling mild aftereffects now (nothing that's keeping me from normal life).  I'd definitely leave room for a couple of open days after and hope that you don't need that much time.

[Sheal]

DH and I got our Pfizer booster shots about two weeks ago, two days before we were scheduled to do our GE interview in Boston.  Fortunately, the only side effect was a super sore arm the next day.  I must not have done enough fist pumps when I got back to work after the appointment. 

 

About the Alaskan weather, our best man moved to Alaska about 30 years ago and currently resides outside Juneau.  He and my husband, who has visited him several times in May, both think that the weather typically resembles our weather here in NE.  DH brings clothing that can be layered.  On the last trip they took a plan to a remote island with a bare bones cabin onsite.  The three of them spent the weekend there with no electricity and no heat.  DH and his dad would love to do it again.  I wouldn't consider it myself.  I am afraid of bears, lol.

 

Our squirrel story took place in Florida.  We were walking through Sea World and there was this one particular squirrel stalking my husband.  It was funny until it tried to climb up his leg at one point. 

 

Sad about the fire.  My daughter's friend from HS's family home burned to the ground about three weeks ago.  They were living with his parents and have a 5 month old baby.  I can't imagine how scary it would be to wake up and realize the house was on fire.  They were very lucky to get out but lost the family pet.

[Momof3gurlz]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

 @Sunshine3601 and others, says cookies are cooked  for 6-8 minutes, but at what temperature?

I baked them at 375 for 8 minutes. 

[DaniDanielle]

2 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

I used to watch the Peanuts Christmas every year too but haven’t watched in 21 years.  Every time I hear Christmas Time of Year it reminds me of when I heard it in the airport while I was waiting to fly to Florida the morning my Dad died. It still makes me sad so many years later. I did watch most of Sound of Music last night though. That movie never gets old. 

😢

[DaniDanielle]

58 minutes ago, Luckynana said:

Amen to that, Mimi!!!!❤️

Second that Amen!

[Ozark_Kid]

6 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I have no idea how I slept through all sirens, eric woke me up saying the street must be on fire look outside.   The family was standing in our front yard but they didnt want to come in.  

Wow, that would be crazy to wake up to.  I hope they recover from this soon.

[Ozark_Kid]

4 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

A storm is brewing.... winter is finally here.

 

 

 

I know I am repeating myself but I have to say it again.  You post great pics.

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, derorim said:

 

That's a frightening scene to wake up to.  Glad everyone got out okay.

Yes, it was very scary.      

My neighbors returned home this morning to meet with fire Marshall and insurance adjuster.     I walked over while they were packing their car and they walked me around back to see the damage. 

 

From the front of the house everything looks fine when you walk around the back the house is destroyed.     

electrical fire (short in circuit is what they have been told so far) that started in the kitchen. 

Everyone was asleep and house filled up with smoke as fire was in the walls.    good thing their smoke detectors worked🤩

Their son has a beautiful chocolate lab about 1 yr old.   As they were getting out of the house they decided to put him in their SUV and were going to get the car out of the driveway but fire trucks arrived so quick they didn't have time to move their car so the poor doggy was stuck in the car with all the commotion for over 2 hours and was barking away the whole time.     The fireman asked if they wanted to get the dog out of the car but they all decided he was probably safer to stay in the car.

The fire destroyed their kitchen and some of their family room.    They now have an open air kitchen and bathroom as fireman bashed through interior walls to make sure fire was truly out.     Their backyard and inground pool with cover is now filled up with kitchen cabinets, kitchen sink, smashed countertops, sheetrock, personal belongings etc that fireman removed to gain access to interior walls.     

the exterior framing on first floor is severely charred and siding / soffits / gutters, etc. are all melted on the 2nd floor.   

The first floor has about 1 inch of water this morning, they said a lot more was there last night.   

After fire trucks left the township came and rock salted the street and end of driveways due to the below freezing temps we had overnight.    

 

All in all I was very impressed and had no idea that our township had so many firetrucks.    There was 3 large trucks and the one with the large extending ladder as well as many other emergency vehicles.  I have no idea who parked in our driveway but he was there till about 4 am.    Eric thinks it was the fire marshal.

 

Last night the fire marshal allowed one family member (the Father) to enter the 2nd floor bedrooms to grab whatever they needed as quick as he could since they are unsure about the stability of the framing.   

 

This morning when they returned to meet with various people onsite again they were allowed one person at a time to enter the home to pack up personal belonging and take whatever valuables they wanted as they won't be able to return to the home for quite a while per township inspector.   

 

Around 11 am today they were waiting for insurance people to advise their options on where they can stay that will allow a large dog.    Local holiday Inn made an exception last night and allowed them to stay with the dog.    I am sure they will be able to recommend somewhere that accepts pets.   

Very sad to see their beautiful home in this condition.    The Wife was very quiet this morning I think she is still in shock.     All she said to me was "we just got our Christmas tree and now we cannot even use it".     

Thank god no one was hurt  😍

Edited December 20, 2021 by Sunshine3601

[Keksie]

1 hour ago, A&L_Ont said:

If that didn’t make you reach for the Kleenex, here is one I just found today. 
 

 

My husband just remarked last night that this is his favorite commercial this season and I agreed.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I've always thought baking was what convection ovens excelled at.

that's what I always thought too but I have had cakes dry out so whenever I bake I use the regular oven option.     Maybe I just haven't tweeked the temp and time to avoid drying out I don't know but I'm old school when it comes to baking (for now😃)

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

A storm is brewing.... winter is finally here.

 

 

 

definitely does look like an angry sea today.     🥵