River Cruising Water Cooler

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, Roz said:

Talk about no transition.  I went from Eastern European food and baked goods to Cajun Christmas music!

Sorry about that ~~~. I read it after and realized that. 

Edited December 21, 2020 by Coral

[Host Jazzbeau]

My Russian 101 teacher had the class to her house near Christmas for home-made Borscht.  I got the recipe and made it later that year at my eating club [since we had access to the full restaurant kitchen on weekends].  It came out very well, but I have since lost the recipe.  The thing I remember about it was that you had to make it at least several days before you served it, because there was a freezing phase that helped tenderize the beef – one of those rare dishes where the first portion is already 'leftovers'...  [And thankfully our eating club cook was tolerant of this strange thing in her freezer – and the missing huge pot – on Monday morning!]

[dogs4fun]

Posts about Runza sent me to investigate - I had never heard of Runza. There are actually two fast food Runza restaurants in Colorado. One is in Loveland and the other is in Longmont - both have a population high in Volga German ancestry. 

[jpalbny]

Dose #1 of Moderna is in! Amazed to live in an era where we can make a vaccine so quickly. Now to keep up the fight until this scourge is over.

 

[Coral]

4 hours ago, dogs4fun said:

Posts about Runza sent me to investigate - I had never heard of Runza. There are actually two fast food Runza restaurants in Colorado. One is in Loveland and the other is in Longmont - both have a population high in Volga German ancestry. 

I didn't realize you were in Colorado - approx where?

 

Honestly - I can't stand Runzas but I can't stand cabbage. They do a variety such as Italian, Swiss Mushroom, Southwest, etc.... I do have to say that their fast food hamburgers are better than McDonalds and Burger King type places and the company is very good about fundraising and supporting local nonprofits. I think in January, February months on Tuesdays, they do a local deal where the temperature at 6 am is the cost of the Runza that day (with purchase of fry and drink). Basically they give them away many days here.

[Coral]

27 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Dose #1 of Moderna is in! Amazed to live in an era where we can make a vaccine so quickly. Now to keep up the fight until this scourge is over.

 

Woo hoo!!!! So glad healthcare individuals are getting it really quickly! We got a survey on Friday that we had to respond to right away if we wanted a vaccination. Education is supposedly in the next round after hospitals and nursing homes. Someone thought we would get it in the next few weeks - seems optimistic to me but promising!

 

I didn't expect to get it at work and thought I would go to Walgreens when my age was available. Though I have to say it has been scary working with an age group that could have it and not show symptoms.

 

 

[acwmom]

47 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Dose #1 of Moderna is in! Amazed to live in an era where we can make a vaccine so quickly. Now to keep up the fight until this scourge is over.

 

Yay! Congrats!!!! Still waiting to hear what KY's plan is:-(

[dogs4fun]

17 minutes ago, Coral said:

I didn't realize you were in Colorado - approx where?

Denver - think I mentioned awhile back that you were not too far from me. 😎 I’m not too fond of cabbage myself.

 

45 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Dose #1 of Moderna is in! Amazed to live in an era where we can make a vaccine so quickly. Now to keep up the fight until this scourge is over.

Wonderful - it’s important that those in the healthcare field are protected.  It made me so angry that healthcare workers didn’t have adequate PPE (and some still don’t). 

How about Chris - will she also receive the ‘jab’?

[jpalbny]

12 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

How about Chris - will she also receive the ‘jab’?

 

Yes, hopefully in a week or two. Radiology is in a slightly lower tier than Pulmonary/ ICU accordingto our distribution plan. Plus she can just shoot radiation at the virus if it comes near her! 😉

 

 

[Coral]

20 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

Denver - think I mentioned awhile back that you were not too far from me. 😎 I’m not too fond of cabbage myself.

That is right! Lots of friends in Denver and Colorado Springs. Glad you are close to an airline hub!

[Coral]

31 minutes ago, acwmom said:

Yay! Congrats!!!! Still waiting to hear what KY's plan is:-(

I was speaking to my doctor's office this morning and they were asked by the county to submit their number of vaccination requests. Hopefully your office will get that soon!

[notamermaid]

Good news, @jpalbny.

 

EU's EMA has just approved the vaccine. Germany starts vaccinating on Sunday. I am so far down the line that I will be eligible some time in April or May probably. For the general population in the EU life will not change for the better any time before February I should think. Perhaps we can open shops in January and restaurants in February.

 

Lots more hand and mask washing for all of us. Got two Christmas themed masks last week. Also got rash on my face and ripped skin on my hands. Small price to pay.

 

notamermaid

 

 

[dogs4fun]

1 hour ago, notamermaid said:

 

EU's EMA has just approved the vaccine. Germany starts vaccinating on Sunday. I am so far down the line that I will be eligible some time in April or May probably.

Hang in there! I probably won't be vaccine eligible until late spring but I am happy that the end is now within sight.

[notamermaid]

25 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

Hang in there! I probably won't be vaccine eligible until late spring but I am happy that the end is now within sight.

Oh, yes, end in sight! I did not want to sound too unhappy. It is okay, I am glad for my elderly relatives and all those who may suffer much if they get it.

 

My thoughts and probably my writing these days are tinted with the despair for my beloved island. Much of the world is cutting travel ties with the UK and the lorries are lining up in Dover. Kent is so close to my heart it hurts to see. Supermarkets are being cleared of food, but people are told not to panic (yet), "all necessary supplies and medicines are still getting through" (approximate quote from BBC showing an important guy standing behind a podium). I really have this feeling of "messy divorce" and the island drifting away into the mists of the North Sea on 31 December. Perhaps we need King Arthur to return from Avalon...

 

I reminisce about happier days when I was in a better state - and the world.

 

Time for some photos - December 2015, Trafalgar Square, London:

 

I visited the National Gallery, it was adorned with beautiful Christmas trees. I spent much time with William Turner while the international tourists flocked around Monet and Van Gogh. The "hallway":

 

When I came out of the National Gallery, dusk had fallen over the square:

 

It was a beautiful sight.

 

What I would give just to be able to cross the channel again without worry.

 

Have a good evening.

 

notamermaid

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by notamermaid
grammar

[Daisi]

Every year,  Ottawa Ontario lights up for the season.  If you scroll down the link, you will see a "virtual" tour - still photos, but some of them are quite good.

 

@notamermaid, beautiful pics of London.

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/christmas-lights/pathway.html?fbclid=IwAR3gM9sqRVI_SSTgwwcRq4Pykqw4HXS1gBmOuTdGiopaOwcMpemLE2n87io

[Daisi]

Just playing around in the site...there are lights from all over Canada under the link at the top " Lights in the Capitals".  "Pathway of lights" is the virtual one for Ottawa.  "Natural Virtual Show" has across the country.

 

 

[dogs4fun]

Saturn/Jupiter Conjunction

[acwmom]

My pics aren’t as good as Dogs4fun’s, but aren’t too bad considering I took them with my iPhone ProMax

[dogs4fun]

The planets look very close when viewed with the naked eye. There is much more separation between the planets when viewed through the telescope. Plus, huge bonus, you can actually see Saturn’s rings.

Your photos are very good @acwmom - you must have had a very clear evening.

[acwmom]

2 minutes ago, dogs4fun said:

The planets look very close when viewed with the naked eye. There is much more separation between the planets when viewed through the telescope. Plus, huge bonus, you can actually see Saturn’s rings.

Your photos are very good @acwmom - you must have had a very clear evening.

These were from Sunday night. Last night, I was driving, so only got an occasional glimpse. It was clear, after a cloudy day, so fortunate to have gotten to see it. I've also heard you can see Jupiter's moons with a telephoto lens, or even binoculars. I might have to try that tonite. This morning, it was Venus on the horizon, as the sun was rising, but no pics of that.

[jpalbny]

All of you are lucky. We've had nothing but clouds the pst few days, and also for the near future...

[gnome12]

46 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

All of you are lucky. We've had nothing but clouds the pst few days, and also for the near future...

We had bright sun this morning as I headed to the grocery store, but it has now clouded over again. I think our weather is going to be very similar to @jpalbny's.

[Coral]

Thanks for the pics everyone! Stunning!

[notamermaid]

8 hours ago, Daisi said:

Every year,  Ottawa Ontario lights up for the season.  If you scroll down the link, you will see a "virtual" tour - still photos, but some of them are quite good.

 

@notamermaid, beautiful pics of London.

 

Thank you for the link Daisi. Glad you like the photos. I am not much of a photographer really. I just like to capture images for myself and took these with my Nikon camera which has since decided to tint everything in blue. I don't know why. Although my smartphone has more pixels I was happier with my Nikon.

 

The news from Germany and the UK has been bad today (again) so I need to cheer myself up with another photo (a bit blurred) I would like to share from my 2015 trip. And some info on it.

 

Round the corner from the National Gallery is the church St. Martin-in-the-Fields. For some and certainly for many who like traditional classical music this will ring a bell. They have a famous music academy. When I was inside the church the chamber orchestra was rehearsing for a performance of a Händel work if I remember correctly. Alas, I had to leave London and could not stay for the concert. The interior was decorated in an elegant and more minimal festive decoration which suits the classical architecture very much I find. This is the church's website: https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by notamermaid
wrong word

[jpalbny]

22 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

my Nikon camera which has since decided to tint everything in blue.

 

Check the white balance settings. There are other ways to adjust the color but try there first. 

 

We've been to St-Martin in the fields!