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

[HBE4]

7 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

I thought when you went for her daughter that there were decisions to make.  Everyone here is thinking of you and your family and are here for you.

 

❤️ Thank you ❤️

 

It was really more about spending time with her mom & me and the rest of the family. There are still a few long-shot avenues to go down first before any decision.  Her daughter has made it clear, in the most loving way, that the ultimate decision is mine and only mine to make and she will support me 1000% either way. That's the kind of trust we have.

[jagsfan]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Earl Grey tea is my favourite.

It has a hint of Bergamot in it.

Darjeeling for me. I can pretend I’m in Brown’s Hotel in London being pampered. 

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

All inside decorations are down, waiting for some sun to take down outside ones!

You are ahead of me.    I should have been doing that instead of packing.     Eric took down some of the stuff outside last night so it could dry out before we pack it away.     I brought up the storage tubs from basement to put christmas tree ornaments, etc in but didn't start yet.      Instead I baked a cheesecake while doing laundry and packing.   

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

It was a quiet afternoon and evening with the family. I got some nice birthday gifts but one stood out, to which I can share with you.
 

A British comedian, named Chris Turner, that I follow on YouTube ends his routines with an impromptu freestyle rap. He takes 5 suggestions from the audience and then does one right on the spot. Lisa got him to do one for my birthday, and it was well worth the money spent. 
 

Here is the one he did for me. Lisa sent him 5 suggestions and had a limit of characters that she could type. He did an amazing job.
 

Turn up the volume and enjoy. 
 

 

That is awesome.    Thank you for sharing the video.     How nice Lisa was to be able to arrange this special gift.     Sounds like you had an amazing birthday with lots of delicious food.    😍

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Arzeena said:

The food pics reminds me of a question asked here couple of months ago.....Was there Blood Sausage on Royal Caribbean. Yes, I saw it at the WJ for breakfast every morning on the Anthem.............YUKKKKKKKK! (sorry it is just my taste). I hear it is a very British thing and was wondering if it was because they still had tea kettles in the cabins and were still in the process of deBritishizing😁(please please no offense to my lovely British friends🥰) during the Nov cruises.

Oh goodie.   I hope they have it on our Anthem cruises.      I haven't had it since 2020 on my sailings on Serenade.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Ozark_Kid said:

It’s going to be awhile for us to take down outside too.  Storms rolled in last night and it has not stopped raining since. Flood warnings all around.

It is an ugly rainy day here too.    Last night our town put out luminaries along our streets.    They looked beautiful but very messy to clean up this morning with the bags all wet and falling apart and wet sand that Eric shoveled up.

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Earl Grey tea is my favourite.

It has a hint of Bergamot in it.

That is my favorite too😍

[jagsfan]

30 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

For those that don't know my personal situation, I'm in a similar situation with a loved one. Being in the same room with them brings me comfort & calmness in the most stressful of situations. People ask if it's hard for me to visit everyday and I reply "No, its easy to visit but hard to leave".  I'm sure that Hassia children may feel the same way.

 

Yes, in my head, I know it is very selfish of me and not fair to her.  Eventually the heart will accept this as well.  There has been no progress in recovery and options are dwindling. Difficult decisions coming up in the next several months.  This is one of the many reasons I drove halfway across the country to bring her daughter home.

 

EDIT: Sorry to start the New Year on a depressing post. It's that time of year.

 

EDIT#2 I guess if I was really sorry, I'd delete the post. So I guess its a case of sorry/not sorry. I blame @dani negreanu for providing a welcoming place to vent..... and the adult egg nog for the venting. 😉. All good now & just kidding about "blaming" Dani N.

 

The love is still there, all the way to the Gates of Heaven. I wish we could all give you a hug, and hold your hand now and then. 
You keep making  those visits that keep you comforted, and show your love. We don’t know what can be absorbed when a person isn’t conscious. 
You have a lot of friends here to lean on when you need us. 
 

[Jimbo]

52 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

So you were heading south through that, and got the scariest part at the end! Driving over the bridge tunnel must have been a nightmare. 
And even worse for your wife. I’d rather be driving myself so I don’t worry Dick might lose control.
So I sit with my eyes looking  forward, backward, and both sides, concentrating on keeping us safe. 

Yup, it was nuts, thought pretty much this was the end of us.

 

We were trying to get to the end and it was just getting darker and darker and then the lightning flash would light up the whole area on both sides and then get crazy dark again and my wife is saying pull over and like you know there really is no where to pull over safely you just have to keep going. You are pretty much at the point of no return.......:(

 

We did get to pull over one time, stopped at a Burger King south of the  Dover speedway. Everyone inside the Burger King looks scared to death. We asked what's wrong, they said a Tornado was forecasted for the Dover area. We said wow we just drove through there.

 

We decided lets get back in our car and head south, so it doesn't catch up to us. In hindsight I think that wasn't a very good idea. I think we should have stayed put for the night 

 

One of the reason we went that way besides we thought it would be cool to see is because that is the area where the cruise ships sail over when you cruise out of Baltimore. (Chesapeake Bay Bridge)

 

I don't think we would EVER take that route again no matter what !!

Edited January 1, 2022 by Jimbo

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

 

For those that don't know my personal situation, I'm in a similar situation with a loved one. Being in the same room with them brings me comfort & calmness in the most stressful of situations. People ask if it's hard for me to visit everyday and I reply "No, its easy to visit but hard to leave".  I'm sure that Hassia children may feel the same way.

 

Yes, in my head, I know it is very selfish of me and not fair to her.  Eventually the heart will accept this as well.  There has been no progress in recovery and options are dwindling. Difficult decisions coming up in the next several months.  This is one of the many reasons I drove halfway across the country to bring her daughter home.

 

EDIT: Sorry to start the New Year on a depressing post. It's that time of year.

 

EDIT#2 I guess if I was really sorry, I'd delete the post. So I guess its a case of sorry/not sorry. I blame @dani negreanu for providing a welcoming place to vent..... and the adult egg nog for the venting. 😉. All good now & just kidding about "blaming" Dani N.

 

Our prayers 🙏 for a miracle for your dear wife's recovery HBE4.

Never give up hope,vent as much as you want because your true friends understand.

All the best.

Graham.

[maggieq]

2 hours ago, Arzeena said:

The food pics reminds me of a question asked here couple of months ago.....Was there Blood Sausage on Royal Caribbean. Yes, I saw it at the WJ for breakfast every morning on the Anthem.............YUKKKKKKKK! (sorry it is just my taste). I hear it is a very British thing and was wondering if it was because they still had tea kettles in the cabins and were still in the process of deBritishizing😁(please please no offense to my lovely British friends🥰) during the Nov cruises.

We call it white or black pudding.  Is “blood sausage” American?

[sgmn]

7 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

 

 

Is she the same fashion model from the sixties? Thanks for sharing the up-beating song.😘

 

 

Amen and amen to that 🙏

 

 

@singinalot

 

 

I don't think she was ever a model (maybe you're thinking of Twiggy)

She started out as a child singer but became famous in the swinging sixties. A contemporary of the Beatles and other 60s bands. The song she sang on the video, Shout,  was a hit from 1964 .

 

I'm sorry to hear about the heartbreak of your sister in law. The picture your husband has done must be very dear to him 

[sgmn]

8 hours ago, jagsfan said:

Happy New Year, everybody! 
Believe me, I’m hoping with everything in me that it will be a good one!

I’ve gone to dinner on New Year’s Eve with 3 to 5 friends for years. 
Dick doesn’t really like eating out, and his idea of celebrating is watching football!

Being senior citizens, my friends and I eat at 6, and I’m home by 8:30. 
Up till a couple of years ago, when there were at least 5 of us, we would play Mexican Train after dinner. 
Wild and crazy old ladies!

I want you all to know how very much I appreciate every one of you. Dani’s group has enriched my life, allowing me to share my ups and downs with you all, and letting me share yours. 
I hope we will all be together to see many more New Years begin. 
Attached is a photo from last night. I’m the slightly battered old lady in the right forefront. We were all surprised at the size of our portions…agreeably surprised. 
So today I have to eat black eyed peas, pork, rice and greens, for good luck, good health and prosperity in the new year, and tomorrow I’ll finish my really good ribeye steak and loaded baked potato. 

What a lovely tradition. You all look like you're having loads of fun. Happy New Year 🥳

[dani negreanu]

4 hours ago, jagsfan said:

.... it’s hard to understand her children’s decision, but they must feel their mother is still here on earth with them. 

 

This. They lost their dad when they were 8 and 10....

 

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

Being in the same room with them brings me comfort & calmness in the most stressful of situations. People ask if it's hard for me to visit everyday and I reply "No, its easy to visit but hard to leave".  I'm sure that Hassia children may feel the same way.

 

This.

 

 I blame @dani negreanu for providing a welcoming place to vent.....

 

 

Embracing the "blame".

 

 

1 hour ago, reallyitsmema said:

I thought when you went for her daughter that there were decisions to make.  Everyone here is thinking of you and your family and are here for you.

 

+1

 

1 hour ago, DaniDanielle said:

Vent all you want.  I think most of us would do the same as you if we were in your position. It is hard to let go, I had to make that decision for a very close cousin and it killed me.  We knew it was time but still didn’t want to sign those papers😢

 

+1

 

1 hour ago, HBE4 said:

 

❤️ Thank you ❤️

 

It was really more about spending time with her mom & me and the rest of the family. There are still a few long-shot avenues to go down first before any decision.  Her daughter has made it clear, in the most loving way, that the ultimate decision is mine and only mine to make and she will support me 1000% either way. That's the kind of trust we have.

 

That must be very heartwarming and reassuring.

 

51 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

The love is still there, all the way to the Gates of Heaven. I wish we could all give you a hug, and hold your hand now and then. 

 

This.

You keep making  those visits that keep you comforted, and show your love. We don’t know what can be absorbed when a person isn’t conscious. 

 

DH is visiting and always taking some poetry or short stories to read to her.... But, when he comes back, he is "gray" in the face... It takes an enormous toll on him, and, as the years pass, he realizes that there really is no hope.

 

51 minutes ago, jagsfan said:

You have a lot of friends here to lean on when you need us. 

 

🙏 Mimi and @reallyitsmema -- I couldn't have said it better.

 

... and, as the life goes on, we celebrated the New Year a day late, since we were hoping that our friend, who is still stuck in NY, will make it. Her antigen test was negative, but for flying back she needed a PCR, which still turned out positive. Monday she will see a physician, who will provide a certificate that she is "healed"... Her SO on my left. At our BFF home.

 

[Ozark_Kid]

 @grapau27 Do you use malt vinegar on your fish and chips?  I like it but not sure how I got started.  I wonder if it was my Grandfather who grew up in Chester England.  I am hoping to visit someday.  I would love to visit awhile then do a TA back to the states.

[grapau27]

4 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

 @grapau27 Do you use malt vinegar on your fish and chips?  I like it but not sure how I got started.  I wonder if it was my Grandfather who grew up in Chester England.  I am hoping to visit someday.  I would love to visit awhile then do a TA back to the states.

Yes I always put malt vinegar on my fish and chips but I never put salt on.

[George C]

Just got back from the movies, it was in the 60’s when we entered the theater and in the 30’s when we left. Highly recommend the new version of West Side Story , very entertaining, only actor I recognized was Rita Moreno who was also in the original some 60 years ago, would not be surprised to see her get a Oscar nomination. 

[George C]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

Yes I always put malt vinegar on my fish and chips but I never put salt on.

I am with you love malt vinegar on fish and chips.

[jagsfan]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

Yup, it was nuts, thought pretty much this was the end of us.

 

We were trying to get to the end and it was just getting darker and darker and then the lightning flash would light up the whole area on both sides and then get crazy dark again and my wife is saying pull over and like you know there really is no where to pull over safely you just have to keep going. You are pretty much at the point of no return.......:(

 

We did get to pull over one time, stopped at a Burger King south of the  Dover speedway. Everyone inside the Burger King looks scared to death. We asked what's wrong, they said a Tornado was forecasted for the Dover area. We said wow we just drove through there.

 

We decided lets get back in our car and head south, so it doesn't catch up to us. In hindsight I think that wasn't a very good idea. I think we should have stayed put for the night 

 

One of the reason we went that way besides we thought it would be cool to see is because that is the area where the cruise ships sail over when you cruise out of Baltimore. (Chesapeake Bay Bridge)

 

I don't think we would EVER take that route again no matter what !!

I know what you mean. The last time we drove west we did it on bumpy I40 instead of 10 to avoid Houston! 
The last time we stayed on 10, somehow we got stuck in an exit lane and wound up in a parking lot with no idea of where we were, or how we got there. 
we sat there a long  time and decided the storm was stuck over our heads. 
We drove out of the parking lot and tried to figure out how we got there. 
We finally saw a man, soaking wet, crossing the street. Dick jumped out and ran over to him to ask where I10 was. 
By the time he got back into the car he was soaked. Luckily it was July, so I didn’t have to turn the heat on. 

The chances of having it storm again driving through Houston were too high to risk it again. 

[jagsfan]

50 minutes ago, George C said:

I am with you love malt vinegar on fish and chips.

Me too. And that has led me to want malt vinegar on my French Fries instead of ketchup. 

[A&L_Ont]

3 hours ago, singinalot said:

 I’ll have to look up uship. Thanks!

Hahahaha you could kill several birds with one stone!

🤣 I’ll take the Uhaul n u can drive the tiffany blue Range. 

I’ll make sure to bring my pink boa. We going through Texas on the way, as I’m sure I won’t fit in at the gas stops. 😂

 

3 hours ago, Keksie said:

Just back from our January 1st trip to the beach.  This time the air temp is 75 and windy, the water 60 and a lot of jelly fish are washing up.  It is supposed to really cool off by Monday.  Brrr.

 

Looks like an amazing day.  I’ll accept those temperatures, just as it starts to snow here tonight. 

[Ocean Boy]

2 hours ago, sgmn said:

I don't think she was ever a model (maybe you're thinking of Twiggy)

She started out as a child singer but became famous in the swinging sixties. A contemporary of the Beatles and other 60s bands. The song she sang on the video, Shout,  was a hit from 1964 .

 

"Shout" was song used in the movie "Animal House". I'm not sure if you are familiar with it over in the U.K. It, in my opinion, is a very funny movie!😄

[George C]

18 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

"Shout" was song used in the movie "Animal House". I'm not sure if you are familiar with it over in the U.K. It, in my opinion, is a very funny movie!😄

Love animal house, Shout is also a theme song for the Buffalo Bills 

[Ozark_Kid]

I feel like about  all I’ve got done this year so far is watch football.

[BonTexasNY]

4 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

For those that don't know my personal situation, I'm in a similar situation with a loved one. Being in the same room with them brings me comfort & calmness in the most stressful of situations. People ask if it's hard for me to visit everyday and I reply "No, its easy to visit but hard to leave".  I'm sure that Hassia children may feel the same way.

 

Yes, in my head, I know it is very selfish of me and not fair to her.  Eventually the heart will accept this as well.  There has been no progress in recovery and options are dwindling. Difficult decisions coming up in the next several months.  This is one of the many reasons I drove halfway across the country to bring her daughter home.

 

EDIT: Sorry to start the New Year on a depressing post. It's that time of year.

 

EDIT#2 I guess if I was really sorry, I'd delete the post. So I guess its a case of sorry/not sorry. I blame @dani negreanu for providing a welcoming place to vent..... and the adult egg nog for the venting. 😉. All good now & just kidding about "blaming" Dani N.

 

Please don't ever apologize for opening your heart to us.  We share both joys and sorrows in here.  Think of this thread as a giant shoulder to lean on with two giant arms to hug.  We're here and not going away.

 

 

Your daughter sounds loving and compassionate.  You and your wife did good raising her!

 

 

 

3 hours ago, George C said:

Just got back from the movies, it was in the 60’s when we entered the theater and in the 30’s when we left. Highly recommend the new version of West Side Story , very entertaining, only actor I recognized was Rita Moreno who was also in the original some 60 years ago, would not be surprised to see her get a Oscar nomination. 

Oh my!  My very first real date was with Mark, who rang my bell, met my parents and took me to the movies to see the original "West Side Story",  It was shown in a movie theater in Manhattan on 14th Street on the same block as the Academy of Music theater, close to Klein's Dept. Store.  After the movie, we went for ice cream sodas on 1st Avenue and after that, I got my first real kiss at my door. Let me be perfectly clear; my first REAL kiss. We had one more date after that and our romance fizzled out. For some weird reason, I wasn't devastated.  I do however think of that date with extreme fondness. Thanks for bringing it all back to me.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2022 by BonTexasNY