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

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, akcruz said:

 

🤞Eric does not have Covid.  My DH came home with it after our Odyssey cruise and I got it after that.  Neither of us were really sick, cough, sore throat, tired and sneezing for maybe 2 days, took over a week to get negative tests after getting the positive ones.  We are thankful for having had vaccines and boosters to keep it very mild.

 

On a brighter note got to see our grandkids this weekend, it's been too long, here is my grandson wearing his Pop Pop's hat and glasses.  They definitely do brighten the day.  Back in catch up mode, almost there.

 

 

 

Sorry to hear you both caught covid but happy to hear it was mild.   Yes, vaccines and boosters definitely help!  

That's one cool Grandson!    Great photo🤩

[Sunshine3601]

10 minutes ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

Michael Bennett is next after I finish Women's Murder Club.

Oh no, I have to get on another cruise to read all these new books.   Just added Shattered to my list.   

I have a bag full of books to take to consignment shop in LBI and my list of new books to look for when we go there sometime this month.

[Jimbo]

Star-Spangled Banner Song at the Championship Game that just was played..............Terrible how much did that band cost, did they just grab them off French Quarter about 15 minutes ago..........You would have think they could have did better then that.

 

Here's hoping the game is much better then that just was.

[Coralc]

35 minutes ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

 

They're ok. I don't think it's his best work tho. She's kind of a hot head and it gets old. Nice to read about the Australian outback.

He has started another series "Mercy" which is very good.

i don't buy books so I can't advise on that. I get all mine from the library. Minneapolis has a huge library system. The lending library has (I think) over 20 participating libraries.

"Mercy" is the last book in the Atlee Pine series. It is her missing twin sister's name. I guess I have opposite feelings, I like Atlee Pine books, and he brought in Will Robbie in the 3rd book. I haven't read Mercy yet. But it sounds like he might be starting a new series with this one.  I think the Amos Decker books are kind of bland. 

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said:

@Sea Dog your gorgeous puppies are clearly each demanding to have your comfy lap all to them self.

@lenquixote66sad anniversary for you

@singinalot I follow you on Insta so looking forward to your trip photos & stories

@Lionesss glad it was only a garage and not a deer but those electric side mirrors are expensive to repair.  We have minor damage to one.

Very sad.He and I were only children and we were more like brothers than friends.

[Bailey & Sophie]

 

Unless it has changed, the Louvre us free on Sunday. The Mona Lisa is very small and is roped off so you can't get too close. No flash photography.

The bateaux are very romantic.

The gardens at Versailles are beyond amazing.

The artist area is lots of fun.

I don't know if Notre Dame is open again after that horrible fire but it's beautiful.

I wish I was going.

 

[jagsfan]

6 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

You were on table rock on the duck cruise and the Branson Belle.  I worked at Steal your Dollar City when I was 16.  It is a unique theme park.  Quite different from most.  

I misspoke when I said we’d only seen Table Rock. You had mentioned some other names and we hadn’t seen them. 
On the duck, our driver asked if we wanted to hit the water like wusses or like Marines. Of course, we all yelled Marines!

We hit that water so hard and fast the last few rows were soaked. 
This was obviously before the terrible tragedy. I don’t know if the ducks still operate. That was the second accident with ducks that resulted in deaths. The first one I knew about was on the Delaware River.Working at Silver Dollar City must have been fun, though you were probably overworked and underpaid. 

[Bailey & Sophie]

13 minutes ago, Coralc said:

"Mercy" is the last book in the Atlee Pine series. It is her missing twin sister's name. I guess I have opposite feelings, I like Atlee Pine books, and he brought in Will Robbie in the 3rd book. I haven't read Mercy yet. But it sounds like he might be starting a new series with this one.  I think the Amos Decker books are kind of bland. 

 

Yup. I just looked it up in my notes. I switched things around.

The Australian series I was thinking of is the Harriet Blue series by James Patterson.

Apologies.

[Coralc]

No big deal. I was just confused. 

[jagsfan]

5 hours ago, h20skibum said:

We have a port stop in Cherbourg, and Mont Saint Michel is my plan for that stop.  I believe Royal will have a couple excursions to it, and I am already looking in to a private tour for that stop.  It looks like an amazing place to tour.

 

Thank you for the recommendations.  I am glad I have a little over a year to research.

 

We always like to get a small taste for places, and if it looks like we may not get to see things we would like. We are leaving our return plans open at this time.  We could always go from the UK after the cruises, and spend some time in Paris before flying home.

 

Susan says all she remembers from her high school French is “how are you?”, and “shut your mouth”.  Probably because that is what the class heard from the teacher every day.   Me, I did 2 years French and 2 years German.  I remember both of those phrases.

I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of going to Paris after the cruises and spending at least four or five days. 
Ste Chappelle is near the Louvre, and free. You go on a sunny day, walk in and go up the stairs to the second floor which is empty except for the fantastic stained glass. It colors the floor and everyone in there. 
Then you walk through the Tuileries to Place de la Concorde and down the Champs Elysees to the Eiffel Tower. 
And then  you look up at the sky and say thank you!

So much to see and feel!

[Jimbo]

@xpcdoojk  all I can say...Should have, could have, and would have been in NOLA tonight, heck of a party in the French Quarter about to happen tonight............

[Bailey & Sophie]

1 hour ago, Coralc said:

No big deal. I was just confused. 

 

Um, no...I was the confused one.

[George C]

Currently in a hail storm, we just got a new roof a few months ago hopefully we won’t need another.

[Ozark_Kid]

4 hours ago, akcruz said:

 

🤞Eric does not have Covid.  My DH came home with it after our Odyssey cruise and I got it after that.  Neither of us were really sick, cough, sore throat, tired and sneezing for maybe 2 days, took over a week to get negative tests after getting the positive ones.  We are thankful for having had vaccines and boosters to keep it very mild.

 

On a brighter note got to see our grandkids this weekend, it's been too long, here is my grandson wearing his Pop Pop's hat and glasses.  They definitely do brighten the day.  Back in catch up mode, almost there.

 

 

 

That’s a great pic.  He look’s like a fun grandchild.

[xpcdoojk]

Yeah, that sucked.  Armando, was so crippled after the Dook game.  Just ran out of gas.  Could of should of… sad.

 

Johnson county kids, spending mommy and daddy’s money in the French quarter…. 

[NHProud]

10 hours ago, singinalot said:

been a little absent here but I think I'm fairly caught up. I've been silently lurking 🙂 after getting some flack on another board for posting even though we're not cruising...

 

life updates....I've had several interviews for remote and on-site jobs in Tampa area and have a couple scheduled for this week.

my last several weekends have been spent cleaning the house, getting rid of junk, and packing. We've got the truck rental scheduled for May 28.

 

I'm taking a break from it all this weekend and taking my mom to Aspen. It will be our first time there for each of us and I'm really looking forward to it. https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/asexr-the-st-regis-aspen-resort/overview/

 

Latest on the travel front: my cousin invited us to Paris for a week in August to celebrate her fiance's birthday so we're going!  We'll follow that with a week in Crete.

 

Thinking of you all!

You have good taste if you’re staying at the St. Regis.  Liked the Starwood brand before they merged with Marriott.   No need to tell you about Paris because I’m guessing someone already lives there.  I especially liked the museums like the Musée Marmottan Monet . Browsing the shops for chocolates , cheeses , wines and perfume is a nice diversion.  We toured the chateaux of the Loire valley .  My all time best travel experience was attending mass at Sacré Coeur at 10:30 PM . The church was lit by candlelight and the choir was divine.   Another great experience was visiting the perfumeries in Grasse in the south of France.   

 

We were  walking the streets of Paris when a car with young people stopped and asked me in French where is  the Bastille  located. Told them they were too , too late. 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by NHProud

[sgmn]

13 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

He finally woke up around 1 pm, had some soup and a covid test...negative.

He feels wiped out.

So either he has a cold or just not showing up on a test yet.  Will see how the day goes and try another test tonight or tomorrow morning.   

Debbie, I tested negative for four days from my covid contact before testing positive.  During that time complacency means I passed it on to my son and DIL and maybe to others down the gym and pool, so be wary.

My SIL who I caught it from had tested negative before coming round for dinner with us but tested positive the next day 

 

I hope your hubby feels better soon

Edited April 5, 2022 by sgmn

[sgmn]

12 hours ago, h20skibum said:

I will be looking forward to hearing about your trip to Paris.  The TA we have booked for next May has a stop at Le Havre, and we plan for the long (2.5 to 3 hour) ride to explore Paris.  Our B2B has another stop there, so we hope to see some of the highlights between the two stops.
 

I know we have some other, well traveled posters here, so any and all recommendations would be welcome.   This will be our first time in Paris.

 

Royal’s excursions will not be out until October, so I am also looking at some independent tours.  

Hubby went down on one knee and gave me an eternity ring at the top of the Eiffel Tower for our 10th wedding anniversary 😍 

He's also done a charity bike ride from London to Paris each year for about 20 years. A couple of times our boys went with him once they were old enough.

Here's a pic of their team within a team at the finish,  think there were hundreds who did the charity ride 

Hubby is the one with the tash at the back with our two boys to the left of him 

 

[dani negreanu]

7 hours ago, Bailey & Sophie said:

I've made a note.

Just what I need...more books.

 

Nancy, should you decide to give those books a try, that's the chronological order (and not the publication order, which is very confusing...) Also, #2 & #7 have different names in UK and US.

Second Violin	(2007)
2) Riptide / Bluffing Mr. Churchill	(2001)
Black Out	(1995)
A Lily of the Field	(2010)
Old Flames	(1996)
Friends and Traitors	(2017)
7) Flesh Wounds / Blue Rondo	(2005)
A Little White Death (1960)	)

 

[aussielozzie18]

@George C Hope the new roof survives the hail!
 

 

[aussielozzie18]

@sgmn how romantic & the bikes rides are impressive- no doubt they had a lot of fun but also rraised a lot of money over 20 years.

[aussielozzie18]

Blue skies & camellias in bloom.  Had to take a photo because the heavy rain is back again tomorrow for another week.

 

 

 

and my photos are sideways too…

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by aussielozzie18

[aussielozzie18]

I met up with my daughter in London and we caught the Eurostar to Paris and spent a week in the Latin Quarter.  I also loved Sainte Chapelle for those beautiful windows & Musee D’Orsay.  Also enjoyed:

All the walking I did along the Seine 

Rodin Museum & the beautiful gardens

Le Pantheon & Jardin Du Luxembourg

Palais Garner, Opera National deParis

Musee D’Orangerie for Monet’s Water Lillies

First night watching the sunset from Montparnasse Tower Observation Deck

Last night doing a sunset sightseeing cruise

Edited April 5, 2022 by aussielozzie18

[grapau27]

Good morning.

We had our honeymoon in Paris over 40 years ago and had a great time.

It is cloudy this morning and 50°F on the North East coast of England.

I hope everyone has a good day.

[xpcdoojk]

9 hours ago, jagsfan said:

I misspoke when I said we’d only seen Table Rock. You had mentioned some other names and we hadn’t seen them. 
On the duck, our driver asked if we wanted to hit the water like wusses or like Marines. Of course, we all yelled Marines!

We hit that water so hard and fast the last few rows were soaked. 
This was obviously before the terrible tragedy. I don’t know if the ducks still operate. That was the second accident with ducks that resulted in deaths. The first one I knew about was on the Delaware River.Working at Silver Dollar City must have been fun, though you were probably overworked and underpaid. 

Yeah, the Ducks are not operating as of last summer.  The original Ducks as most know were originally designed to hit the beaches loaded with marines or army infantry, and were armor plated.  Lots of them sank on the beaches of Normandy.  I saw a newscast the other night showing a new kind of Duck vehicle, so I get the impression they may be back at some point.  The situation was very tragic, and a bit of a freak welcome to the Midwest weather kind of thing.  It went from sunny and bright to pretty much a tornado in about 10 minutes.  We lost a big tree on our lake front during that storm.  It is probably about 15 miles as the crow flies from our house to the spot where the Ducks go swimming.  I used to ride my Seadoo by them and wave.  

 

So at SDC, I worked forty hours a week for less than $2.50 per hour.  I worked half day in the Cut Glass shop and half the day in the candle shop upstairs.  I worked in the back but had to wear period clothes, ie old button front Levi’s and a long sleeve collar less shirt.  Then about June, the gunsmith shot himself while demonstrating a black powder gun….  So, I worked there too for a couple of months while he recovered.  One of my jobs there was to go to the underground bunker and get black powder for the shop. I don’t remember much of a safety briefing, just do this.  They had an employee cafeteria that was good with cheap food.  Wednesday night we watched movies in the Saloon after the park closed.  I had a 23 year old girlfriend for a few weeks that summer.  That was interesting.🤣  I worked an average of about 60 to 70 hours a week it was a 30 minute drive each direction.  I made enough money that I bought a new 1976 Chevrolet Nova Concours that winter after.  I never wanted to work there again.  

 

JC