The Daily for Wednesday Dec 30, 2020

[richwmn]

today is Bacon Day, National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, and Falling Needles Family Fest Day
 

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
        -- Will Rogers

 

Meal suggestion for today - Pan-Roasted Lobster with Chive Beurre Blanc

Drink of the Day - Boozy S'mores Shake

Wine of the day - Bodegas Emilio Moro Tempranillo Ribera del Duero vintage 2015

At Sea Atlantic
Eurodam destination Southampton eta 1/6
Oosterdam destination Southampton eta 1/5

Stirrup Cay Anchoragec
Nieuw Statendan

at Sea Pacific
Koningsdam off San Diego
Nieuw Amsterdam off Los Angeles
Noordam destination Los Angeles eta 1/1
Westerdam off San Diego
Zuiderdam destination Los Angeles eta 1/2

Southampton
Zaandam

Torquay Anchorage
Volendam

 

 

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich for the penultimate 2020 Daily.  Lots of Bicarbonate used this year, and falling needles strike me as a fire hazzard.  I like bacon but just in small amounts and don't keep it at home.  Rogers' quote is perfect, but since I don't eat seafood I'll pass on the Lobster.  My alternative is Chilled Mixed Berry Soup and Broiled NY Striploin, as served on MS Ryndam December 29, 2014.

 

Today's care list:

Mrs Vmax with radiation looming

Caregiver Gsel and her DH battling Alzheimers

NextOne DH with Renal Cancer

RIP lazey1's pastor

St. Louis Sal’s and Cruising-along’s friends

Seasick Sailor’s, Vict0rianne’s and Cruisin Single’s medical reports

mamaofami’s SIL

RIP live report pioneer tomc

and Krazy Kruisers and Joe

 

Today's Celebrations and Shoutouts:

 

Hump day

Welcome home dfish

Teachers and school workers, especially StLouisCruiser’s DD

Front Line Health Care Workers

Return of 737 Max

UK Approval of Astra Zeneca vaccine

and Sabine, HAL’s likely first female Captain(I know this is a repeat but she’s worth it)
                    

Roy

I hope 2021 will bring a longer celebration list.

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning, thanks for the Daily.

Love the map.

I use lots of bicarb around the house.  Many believe that every day is bacon day.  We didn't have a real tree inside this year, so no needles to clean up.

Both meal suggestions sound great - thanks guys.

Looking forward to reading about the drink of the day and the wine.

Praying for everyone.  Cheers to all who have something to celebrate.

Stay safe.

[seagarsmoker]

Thanks for the daily report! 

MMMMMM lobster! 🙂 

[kazu]

Thanks for the Daily, Rich and our morning smile 🙂 

 

Looks like I was a day early for bacon day as we celebrated last night with it in my fried mashed potatoes (yum).  Lots of soda used here - mainly for cleaning and thankfully no needles to clean up in this house.  I have enough to clean up as is 😉 

 

I love that Will Rogers’ quote.  Perfect!

 

Looks like we were a day ahead for your meal suggestion.  We had lobster last night but it wasn’t roasted and it was delish.  Have a bit left and contemplating a chowder or bisque or just more lobster 😉 

 

The drink of the day sounds interesting and love Ribera del Duero wines (although this one is probably a red).  

 

 

As the year comes to a close, a lot of us tend to look back on the year and our best moments:

 

 

Whatever you do, remember a balanced diet is the key to good health in 2020 and for a good part of 2021:

 

 

Prayers to those on Roy’s Care list & those that need them and a toast to those those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list (although my jury is still out on the return of the 737 Max).  Have a great Wednesday, everyone.  Stay safe and please don’t forget your masks 😷 

[summer slope]

Good morning.  Thank you Roy and Rich for your work everyday.  Love Bacon, rarely use bicarbonates and didn't have a tree inside this year.  Love Lobster!  The Will Rogers quote applies to many who sit back and wait for others to do the work.

Prayers and shout-outs to our lists.

Stay safe, social distance, and please wear your mask.

 

Boozy S'mores Shake:

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups Kemps Simply Crafted Chocolate Ice Cream

   
• 2 oz. chocolate liqueur

   
• 2 oz. crème de cacao

   
• 4 marshmallows, toasted, plus more for garnish

   
• Milk, optional

   
• Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

   
• 1 graham cracker, crumbled, plus more for garnish

   
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar for garnish

   

Directions

1. Place milkshake glasses into freezer to chill.
2. Combine ice cream, chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao and toasted marshmallows in a blender and blend until mixed. Add milk and thin to desired consistency.
3. Pour chocolate syrup onto a plate. Place graham cracker crumbs on another plate. Dip the glass rim into the chocolate syrup and then dip into the graham cracker crumbs.
4. Drizzle inside of glasses with chocolate syrup. Pour in milkshake and garnish with toasted marshmallow, additional graham cracker and chocolate. Enjoy!

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Good morning.  Thank you Roy and Rich for your work everyday.  Love Bacon, rarely use bicarbonates and didn't have a tree inside this year.  Love Lobster!  The Will Rogers quote applies to many who sit back and wait for others to do the work.

Prayers and shout-outs to our lists.

Stay safe, social distance, and please wear your mask.

 

Boozy S'mores Shake:

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups Kemps Simply Crafted Chocolate Ice Cream

   
• 2 oz. chocolate liqueur

   
• 2 oz. crème de cacao

   
• 4 marshmallows, toasted, plus more for garnish

   
• Milk, optional

   
• Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

   
• 1 graham cracker, crumbled, plus more for garnish

   
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar for garnish

   

Directions

1. Place milkshake glasses into freezer to chill.
2. Combine ice cream, chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao and toasted marshmallows in a blender and blend until mixed. Add milk and thin to desired consistency.
3. Pour chocolate syrup onto a plate. Place graham cracker crumbs on another plate. Dip the glass rim into the chocolate syrup and then dip into the graham cracker crumbs.
4. Drizzle inside of glasses with chocolate syrup. Pour in milkshake and garnish with toasted marshmallow, additional graham cracker and chocolate. Enjoy!

 

OMG summer, this is definitely a drink for chocoholics 😱 

[rafinmd]

My last 2 2020 sunrises are almost a reflection of the way 2020 has been, not the greatest.  A fitting closing to a year I wish I could forget.  This one is from my one and only New Years cruise, the last season of MS Ryndam in 2014-2015.

 

 

Roy

[KirkNC]

Mmmm, Bacon Day, that’s my kind of day.  We hardly ever have it at home but do indulge when cruising.  I tell myself I am on the Atkins diet whenever I have it.

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Daily Report.

[Seasick Sailor]

Good morning Rich! Hope you are still enjoying time on the island. Thank you for keeping us going.

 

Sweet sisters Ann and Denise, Roy, summer, Jacqui.. Thank you for contributions as well. (Roy, you are in my prayers)

 

Lobster, lobster, lobster!! Love it. We love king crab legs best if they are meaty looking and on sale. 

summer I just gained a pound drooling over the DOTD! (Drink of the day)

 

I am not a bacon (sausage, ham..) liker, but I try to keep a few strips around for Allen to eat with his turnip and mustard greens.

 

 

My appt went well yesterday. Took more blood work to rule out a few things before I start my weekly med.

 

So what is everyone doing for New Year's Eve? Anyone brave (or crazy) enough to go out? We decided we are going to have surf and turf, a bottle of champagne, and listen to our favorite artists. Probably ring in the new year at 10 and that will be our thrilling "date night" in.

 

Looks like our government should start speeding up the vaccine deliveries. Hoping to see shots come January (Please Lord) Stay safe. Really, we are almost there. Love and blessings to all. Joy

 

 

[cat shepard]

Rich - Bicarbonite of Soda Day? Really? I would love to meet the person, or group that decided this one!  I am so happy you find these gems for us & share them in the Daily!

 

Thank you for our lists, Roy! I agree, may 2021’s celebration lists be longer. Praying all the test results are good ones!  Good morning Dailyites & my Sisters! We have another red wine today!
 

The quote is perfect. The meal sounds tasty! Summer, that drink is gorgeous, but I would need to wear an apron or bib to drink it!  I can not believe I am typing these words, but this might be too much chocolate even for me! Jacqui, great cartoons today - especially the balanced diet one.

 

The Moderna vaccines arrive in my County next Monday. And there will be drive through vaccinations at the Daytona Speedway given on the 4th & 5th for those 65 & older - until the doses run out.  And the booster will be given 28 days later. We probably won’t get to drive on the speedway, but it is a great place to snake a huge line of vehicles for the drive through.

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating!

Stay well everyone!

 

********

This Spanish medium-bodied red has great ratings. I found one online distributor selling the 2015 vintage for $25.99, but many more for the similarly rated 2016 vintage.

#59 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017 

The wine has a very intense cherry red color. On the nose, it is opulent and very expressive, with a base of great quality ripe black fruit and balsamic notes in the background. On the palate, it has good acidity -- and is broad and tasty with a long aftertaste

WS90 Wine Spectator: Black cherry, red plum and currant flavors are fresh and lively in this firm red, backed by dark chocolate, licorice and toasty notes. Light, firm tannins and citrusy acidity keep this focused. Drink now through 2023.

[StLouisCruisers]

Thanks to Rich and Roy for their important contributions to the Daily.  I have a suggestion for the prayers list this morning.  I've just heard of the death of Louisiana Congressman-elect Luke Letlow who died of Coronavirus at age 41.  He was to be sworn into office on Sunday.  He leaves behind a wife and two small children.  Thoughts are he passed due to heart complications not lung so this can happen to anyone.

 

No plans for New Year's Eve this year.  Our next door neighbors usually host a huge party including everyone in our neighborhood but we will all stay home instead.  

[summer slope]

No plans to go out on New Years Eve.  We turned our pool heater on this morning and will toast with champagne for a swim.  That's it.  I've still not gone out shopping since March.  Can't wait for the vaccine to come to our county.

[Cruise Suzy]

15 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

The Moderna vaccines arrive in my County next Monday. And there will be drive through vaccinations at the Daytona Speedway given on the 4th & 5th for those 65 & older - until the doses run out.  And the booster will be given 28 days later. We probably won’t get to drive on the speedway, but it is a great place to snake a huge line of vehicles for the drive through.

 

My thought is it could really be a mess - they aren't taking reservations and are not limiting vaccines to county (or even state) residents. Or so it has been reported on TV and in newspapers. Have you heard otherwise?

[StLouisCruisers]

December 30, 2016 found us at Torgerson Island in the Bismarck Strait.  During the night I awoke and peeped out the curtains to see how the sky looked at 1:14 am.  This is my photo taken through the glass doors. 

 

First sights in the morning were of a sunny day and of the Palmer Station, a United States Research Station located on this peninsula.

 

We had a mid-morning time slot to go sight seeing in the Zodiac that day.  This is what it looks like in a Zodiac, as we listened to our Expedition Team member who drove us around that day. 

 

I love looking at blue icebergs.

 

And a piece of glacier ice melting in a unique shape.

 

How about this group of seals sunning on a huge piece of ice?  One of them was smiling at us!

 

What about this cutie?

 

His extended family was back at home on shore.  

 

Arriving back at the ship we were told there was a group of humpbacks net feeding krills near the ship.  My photo: 

 

And the expert photographer's photo: 

 

I'll stop here and be back in a while with photos of our late afternoon activities.  

[cunnorl]

     Good Morning everyone.   Beautiful day here at the beach. We are not new years eve people so this year wont be any different for us. 

    The vaccine has arrived in my county. To be received by appointment starting on Monday. They said to be patient with the phone lines. I see this as a very positive step.

[cat shepard]

4 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

My thought is it could really be a mess - they aren't taking reservations and are not limiting vaccines to county (or even state) residents. Or so it has been reported on TV and in newspapers. Have you heard otherwise?

I have not heard anything different. I know the Speedway personnel are used to managing a large influx of vehicles, but I am not sure what the demand will be.  I suspect it will be large, since there are many retirees in the area. Not many Snowbirds or visitors compared to other years, so it will be interesting to see.  I am closer to the County just North of mine, and hope to get mine there, when they do it.  They decided to use a different priority than the Governor’s & vaccinate their first responders in the first wave, also! As everyone should IMO. 

[Himself]

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Good morning.  Thank you Roy and Rich for your work everyday.  Love Bacon, rarely use bicarbonates and didn't have a tree inside this year.  Love Lobster!  The Will Rogers quote applies to many who sit back and wait for others to do the work.

Prayers and shout-outs to our lists.

Stay safe, social distance, and please wear your mask.

 

Boozy S'mores Shake:

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups Kemps Simply Crafted Chocolate Ice Cream

   
• 2 oz. chocolate liqueur

   
• 2 oz. crème de cacao

   
• 4 marshmallows, toasted, plus more for garnish

   
• Milk, optional

   
• Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

   
• 1 graham cracker, crumbled, plus more for garnish

   
• Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar for garnish

   

Directions

1. Place milkshake glasses into freezer to chill.
2. Combine ice cream, chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao and toasted marshmallows in a blender and blend until mixed. Add milk and thin to desired consistency.
3. Pour chocolate syrup onto a plate. Place graham cracker crumbs on another plate. Dip the glass rim into the chocolate syrup and then dip into the graham cracker crumbs.
4. Drizzle inside of glasses with chocolate syrup. Pour in milkshake and garnish with toasted marshmallow, additional graham cracker and chocolate. Enjoy!

Not a drink for a diabetic!

[cat shepard]

9 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

 

And a piece of glacier ice melting in a unique shape.

 

 

Your entire series of photos is great, but this one is cool!

[StLouisCruisers]

The sunny skies continued and at 5:30 we were all invited on deck for our Caviar and Champagne on Ice party (but if you preferred Vodka, they had plenty of that on ice).  And by ice I mean blocks of ice with holes drilled in them large enough to hold the bottles.  

 

My beverage of choice - champagne!

 

DH enjoyed the caviar and vodka.

 

And here we are enjoying ourselves with the sunshine and the beautiful scenery all around us.  We were in the Neumayer Channel and the water was calm.  Glancing over the sides you would see ice chunks with seals and penguins on them floating by.

 

No wildlife in this photo but it showed what the water looked like there.

 

Suddenly we heard the ship's horn sound and we went to the rails to see what was going on.  Coming along on our port side towards us was the Holland America Zaandam!!  We could see passengers along the rails checking us out, the same as we were checking them out.  I held up my champagne glass and saluted our fellow Antarctica sailors.  It was very exciting!  

 

Here is a photo of our meet up from the drone. 

 

And you will find this hard to believe but a fellow Cruise Critic member, Boris Federer, sent me a photo he took of the Quest from the Zaandam that day as we passed in the channel.  Actually it looks like they were well past us in this shot.  But so nice of him to do that.

 

After the party broke up the blocks of ice were tossed into the pool.  Had to keep the temperature cold enough for our Polar Plunge coming up on New Year's Eve!  Reports on that tomorrow.

Edited December 30, 2020 by StLouisCruisers

[Himself]

Rich Thanks for the DAILYFleet report.  1/2the current fleet is off the Coast of Southern California.  I have learned of so many drinks that I cannot have.  I will stick to Whiskey Sours.  Since shell fish have always upset my stomach, I must refrain from Lobster--unfortunately.  Roy's alternative is a "hit,"  Sorry to learn of the death of the young Congressman elect.  At this time I have no plans to get the shot.  I am 81, a type two diabetic and have a pacemaker I get a lot of rest each night and feel good.  I will not stay in to welcome in the New Year.  I will be asleep before 10 PM.  We got snow last evening.    I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

[cat shepard]

@Seasick Sailor, Have not really thought about NYE.
 

Most years I am at a friend’s. We usually break up around 11 p.m., but since 2020 ushered in a new decade, we decided to stay up until Midnight.

 

BIG MISTAKE! Never again.

[Cruise Suzy]

20 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

They decided to use a different priority than the Governor’s & vaccinate their first responders in the first wave, also! As everyone should IMO. 

 

Cheers for them.

[Himself]

6 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

The sunny skies continued and at 5:30 we were all invited on deck for our Caviar and Champagne on Ice party (but if you preferred Vodka, they had plenty of that on ice).  And by ice I mean blocks of ice with holes drilled in them large enough to hold the bottles.  

 

My beverage of choice - champagne!

 

DH enjoyed the caviar and vodka.

 

And here we are enjoying ourselves with the sunshine and the beautiful scenery all around us.  We were in the Neumayer Channel and the water was calm.  Glancing over the sides you would see ice chunks with seals and penguins on them floating by.

 

No wildlife in this photo but it showed what the water looked like there.

 

Suddenly we heard the ship's horn sound and we went to the rails to see what was going on.  Coming along on our port side towards us was the Holland America Zaandam!!  We could see passengers along the rails checking us out, the same as we were checking them out.  I held up my champagne glass and saluted our fellow Antarctica sailors.  It was very exciting!  

 

Here is a photo of our meet up from the drone. 

 

And you will find this hard to believe but a fellow Cruise Critic member, Boris Federer, sent me a photo he took of the Quest from the Zaandam that day as we passed in the channel.  Actually it looks like they were well past us in this shot.  But so nice of him to do that.

 

After the party broke up the blocks of ice were tossed into the pool.  Had to keep the temperature cold enough for our Polar Plunge coming up on New Year's Eve!  Reports on that tomorrow.

 

 

 

Hey, St. Louis Cruisers:  I loved your Photographs of the Antartic Cruise.