The Daily for Thursday Jun 10, 2021

[POA1]

3 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Thanks for the heads up.  That was fun to watch.  Although the ship looks like an amusement park on top.

 

It's also lavender colored on the lower hull. The other Enormousnesses of the Seas are a light gray. You probably don't notice it clearly in the webcams. Not sure I'm a fan.

[smitty34877]

@mamaofami, I  was  happy  to  hear  Sam  is  on  the  Neuro  unit  but  sorry you  got  a  phone  call  at  an  alarming  time.It  sounds  as  if  his  progress  is  good. It  is  so  true  that  we  never  know  what  a  day  will  bring and  we  need  to  appreciate  every  day  we  have.

@StLouisCruisers, I  loved  the  picture  you  posted. I  can't  even  imagine  how  you  are  feeling  after  last  week.Please  take  care  of  yourself.    

Terry

 

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

It looks like our rain will hold off until tonight, and that's good news for me.  So much more to get done in the garden now.  

I must have hundreds of ball point pens around this house 😉  also love herbs and spices and ice tea (especially lemon with just a hint of sweetener).  No sweet tea for me, even though all my Southern in-laws will drink it no other way. Even if I wasn't Diabetic that's just too sweet for me. 😄

 

The quote, meal, drink and wine all sound great too.  Yesterday we picked up a few boxes of the first local strawberries on the market -- the season is so short here, I tend to go overboard because I love them.

 

@mamaofamiwhat wonderful news about your DH!  I do wonder why they called at that hour, it would have scared me to death -- but no matter what, wonderful news!

 

@StLouisCruisersmy heart goes out to you still.  I love the photo you posted of you and your sisters.  I come from a family of 3 daughters too, and also lost my oldest sister (who was also about the same age difference as you and your older sister).  We lost her to cancer and my Mother within 3 days 11 years ago.  Eventually the good memories will overtake the pain, even though that never goes away entirely.  Virtual hugs. 🙂

[grapau27]

31 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

I WISH it was the Prinsendam taking us there next year.  That cruise will be on Island Princess.  The date will be July 27 and the itinerary says Newcastle UK.  Do cruise ships go all the way up the Tyne river to Newcastle upon Tyne?  If so we would love to see you there!

The terminal is as far as the cruise ships go.

It is probably only about 1 mile to the pier.

The old Shipyards on the River Tyne and River Wear in Sunderland where we are were further up river but it is many years since they closed and the rivers needed constant dredging then for the cargo ships that were being built there.

Pauline loves shops and Eldon Square Newcastle,Metro Centre Gateshead are the 2 biggest in the area.

The Northumberland coastline from Tynemouth up to Bamburgh castle is stunning depending on how long the ship is docked.

Certainly happy to show you the sights if the dates are convenient.

Graham.

 

[garlictown]

👍Thank You for The Daily, Rich @richwmn and to Roy @rafinmd for the Care and Celebration Lists. 😊

I meet with the orthopedic surgeon next week and I expect more x-rays, etc. The cast ( only one week) on my wrist seems heavy😮....been 38 days post surgery on my shoulder and arm but who is counting?!? Please keep me on the "Care List," Roy. This is definitely going to be a long summer.🙄🙃

Good experience on the Viking Ocean cruise seeing the Amazon in 2019. 

YES to spices.😉

🙏Prayers for all in need and thank you to all who post.

Katie

 

[StLouisCruisers]

19 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

 

@StLouisCruisersmy heart goes out to you still.  I love the photo you posted of you and your sisters.  I come from a family of 3 daughters too, and also lost my oldest sister (who was also about the same age difference as you and your older sister).  We lost her to cancer and my Mother within 3 days 11 years ago.  Eventually the good memories will overtake the pain, even though that never goes away entirely.  Virtual hugs. 🙂

 

I can't imagine losing your Mother and Sister within 3 days of each other.  What a painful time for you.  Virtual hugs back at you!🙏

 

[StLouisCruisers]

14 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

The terminal is as far as the cruise ships go.

It is probably only about 1 mile to the pier.

The old Shipyards on the River Tyne and River Wear in Sunderland where we are were further up river but it is many years since they closed and the rivers needed constant dredging then for the cargo ships that were being built there.

Pauline loves shops and Eldon Square Newcastle,Metro Centre Gateshead are the 2 biggest in the area.

The Northumberland coastline from Tynemouth up to Bamburgh castle is stunning depending on how long the ship is docked.

Certainly happy to show you the sights if the dates are convenient.

Graham.

 

 

What a kind offer!  We will have to see what happens with cruising between now and then.  Things are changing every week it seems including today with HAL's announcements.  The other cruise lines are just as confused.  Who would have believed the "pause" would extend this far?

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning. The sun is trying to make an appearance today.  ☀️ 🤞  Will celebrate all the days, but in the last few years, I've switched from ball point pens to gel pens.   @jimgev  We first encountered the sweet tea when we moved to SC.  In Texas, when you order tea you get unsweetened iced tea,  but a few places also have sweet tea  When we first moved to NJ, I quickly learned to order iced tea or I'd get a cup of hot tea.  I would get funny looks when I ordered iced tea in the winter.  🤣

 

I'll also try to remember the quote on days I want to be lazy.

 

We will pass on the dinner menu and the drink.  The wine might be good to try.

 

@rafinmd  Roy, sorry the rehab will cut into your travel plans.

@AncientWanderer Good to know the Epley maneuver worked.  DH saw a neurologist, who did a few tests and then prescribed the Epley.

@StLouisCruisers  What a great picture of you and your twin with Nancy.

@mamaofami  Great news that Sam is out of ICU.

@grapau27  In 2017, we were on the Prinsendam when she docked at the port for Newcastle upon Tyne.  We took a bus to the train station, then train into town.  BTW, that is a neat train station.  We had planned on taking the Ho-Ho, but there was a big race that day, and the Ho-Ho was not running.  We took a local bus to Walls End and walked on the wall.  Then it was the train back to the station and the bus to the port with a stop at the shopping center.  We enjoyed the area.

@smitty34877 Hope Tana got a good night's rest and is feeling okay today.  Also hope she does not overdo again today.

 

We have been to today's "port".  When we did our Amazon River cruise in 2006 on the old Regal Princess, we crossed the bar twice as we did b2bs to make it a roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.  The bar is about 40 miles offshore where the silt from the river ends and the blue Atlantic can be seen.  I have one picture that shows the silty water as the bow was pointed away from the blue water.  

 

When this picture was taken, we weren't crossing the bar, but literally sitting on it.  I don't know if it was the pilot's decision or the captain's decision to take a shortcut to the channel heading to the mouth of the river.  It was not a good decision as we plowed into the sandbar and came to a very abrupt stop.  Yes, it is possible to stop a ship in a very sort space, but it is not recommended.  The captain was lucky the ship stopped before the stern thrusters were buried in the sand.  For several hours, the bridge team would "wiggle" the stern back and forth, move a little bit astern, and repeat the maneuver.  The ship was finally freed in that manner.  I can't remember the captain's name, but for the remainder of the cruise, he was known as Captain Sandbar, and the name stuck for several more years.  That evening, we made an unscheduled stop in Belem so divers could inspect the hull.  Fortunately, there was no damage, except maybe to Captain Sandbar's pride.

 

Lenda

 

[garlictown]

😯Just saw on Seth Wayne's HAL site about cancelled cruises with various dates for a restart. 

Nieuw Statendam cancelled Sept. 3- Nov.7.

Volendam cancelled Sept. 11- Nov. 10.

Rotterdam starting Sept. 26.

Katie

[kb4683]

Good Morning everyone!  Thank you to all who contribute to this haven on CC.  Cheers 🥂 to those on the celebratory list and healing thoughts to those on the care list.

 

Been waiting a while for a port that we have been to.  I’m sure we crossed the Amazon Bar when we sailed from Manaus to Fort Lauderdale back in January, 2014, on the Pacific Princess.  

 

On January 11, I had photos of a Regent ship that was sharing the Canal do Norte (which is close to where the Amazon enters the Atlantic).  Don’t recall any hoopla about crossing “The Bar”.  Maybe we crossed it at night??  Or maybe we were enjoying a Chairman of the Board 🍸 in the Pacific Lounge (most likely 😉)??  Either way, don't recall feeling a “bump”.

 

 

[JazzyV]

Good morning. Thanks for the Daily.

All good days. We need all 3 things. Peach iced tea is a favorite.

I like the quote.

I'll pass on the meal but the lemon drop martini sounds good (I've never had one). I do like Roy's meal better.

I haven't been to today's port.

 

My right eye is bothering me today. It's red and light sensitive, so I started putting in strong steroid drops every 2 hours. Hopefully it'll be fixed up by this afternoon. It's sunny out and it hurts to just look out the window; so outdoor plant watering will have to wait.

 

@AncientWanderer Glad you're feeling better!

@smitty34877 I hope Tana's lung biopsy goes well and she gets some answers.

@StLouisCruisers What a lovely picture of the 3 of you. 

@mamaofami Great news that Sam was moved out of ICU. Praying the improvement continues.

@garlictown I hope your appointment with the Ortho doc goes well next week.

 

Prayers for the care list and cheers to the celebration list.

Stay safe!

 

Here's a pic from our local photographer who Dave DiCello who goes out daily to shoot Pittsburgh. It was foggy and cloudy, but the partial eclipse was visible for a little while.

 

 

[grapau27]

21 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Good morning. The sun is trying to make an appearance today.  ☀️ 🤞  Will celebrate all the days, but in the last few years, I've switched from ball point pens to gel pens.   @jimgev  We first encountered the sweet tea when we moved to SC.  In Texas, when you order tea you get unsweetened iced tea,  but a few places also have sweet tea  When we first moved to NJ, I quickly learned to order iced tea or I'd get a cup of hot tea.  I would get funny looks when I ordered iced tea in the winter.  🤣

 

I'll also try to remember the quote on days I want to be lazy.

 

We will pass on the dinner menu and the drink.  The wine might be good to try.

 

@rafinmd  Roy, sorry the rehab will cut into your travel plans.

@AncientWanderer Good to know the Epley maneuver worked.  DH saw a neurologist, who did a few tests and then prescribed the Epley.

@StLouisCruisers  What a great picture of you and your twin with Nancy.

@mamaofami  Great news that Sam is out of ICU.

@grapau27  In 2017, we were on the Prinsendam when she docked at the port for Newcastle upon Tyne.  We took a bus to the train station, then train into town.  BTW, that is a neat train station.  We had planned on taking the Ho-Ho, but there was a big race that day, and the Ho-Ho was not running.  We took a local bus to Walls End and walked on the wall.  Then it was the train back to the station and the bus to the port with a stop at the shopping center.  We enjoyed the area.

@smitty34877 Hope Tana got a good night's rest and is feeling okay today.  Also hope she does not overdo again today.

 

We have been to today's "port".  When we did our Amazon River cruise in 2006 on the old Regal Princess, we crossed the bar twice as we did b2bs to make it a roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale.  The bar is about 40 miles offshore where the silt from the river ends and the blue Atlantic can be seen.  I have one picture that shows the silty water as the bow was pointed away from the blue water.  

 

When this picture was taken, we weren't crossing the bar, but literally sitting on it.  I don't know if it was the pilot's decision or the captain's decision to take a shortcut to the channel heading to the mouth of the river.  It was not a good decision as we plowed into the sandbar and came to a very abrupt stop.  Yes, it is possible to stop a ship in a very sort space, but it is not recommended.  The captain was lucky the ship stopped before the stern thrusters were buried in the sand.  For several hours, the bridge team would "wiggle" the stern back and forth, move a little bit astern, and repeat the maneuver.  The ship was finally freed in that manner.  I can't remember the captain's name, but for the remainder of the cruise, he was known as Captain Sandbar, and the name stuck for several more years.  That evening, we made an unscheduled stop in Belem so divers could inspect the hull.  Fortunately, there was no damage, except maybe to Captain Sandbar's pride.

 

Lenda

 

Royal Quays outlet shopping is just past the Premier Inn under a mile from North Shields cruise terminal entrance.

You saw some of Hadrian's Roman wall at Wallsend but if there is time about 30 miles away not far from the A69 road past Hexham and Corbridge there is a lot of the wall still standing plus a Roman museum.

Graham.

[kazu]

Ever feel like you were being bounced around like a red rubber ball?

 

Our cruise is cancelled on the Volendam.  HAL is offering to move us to the Eurodam.  Different date, different itinerary, etc.

Let’s see we started on the Zuiderdam, moved to the Volendam, switched to the Westerdam which was then cancelled so stuck with the Volendam.  Now, it’s the Eurodam. <sigh>

 

I’m going to be busy cancelling flights, hotels & a bunch of cruise on the Future Cruise listing again 😢 

[bennybear]

3 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

Thank you, @richwmn for the Daily.  😊

I've just been skimming a bit for the past few days -- trying to cut back on internet because of dizziness.   On that front, I'd like to thank @bennybear, @dfish, @Quartzsite Cruiser and@57redbird for sharing their experiences with the Epley maneuver for vertigo.  (If I missed someone, thank you, too!)  

I had DH guide me through the procedure and it seems like it worked -- and quickly!  It's so funny, I saw my doctor and have referrals for a heart workup and a kidney specialist, but two minutes of  relocating a crystal in my ear seems to have done it.  What a world!

 

@rafinmdRoy, I'm sorry you won't be able to visit Alaska this year, but sounds like you are coming along very well, nonetheless.  As my wise mother always said, "When one door closes, another opens up."  I hope some other travel opportunity presents itself to you after you are given permission to get going.  🛳️   ✈️  🌎

 

Thank you for all our contributors here.  Sending hugs and prayers to those on the care list and will raise a glass to those celebrating.  Also...a warm welcome to new poster @grapau27 .  Welcome aboard!  🌺  🌻  🌹  🌼

I am so glad it worked for you!  It sounds so strange!  Woo hoo! 

[rafinmd]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline did not sleep well last night after her second Astrazeneca vaccine jab but says she only has minimal pain in her arm.

It is 2pm here in the UK and 70°F where we are.

We have brought a picnic to our local beach car park.

This is our view and we always make believe we are sitting on our ships balcony and can sit for hours looking out to sea.

We plan to call at the garden centre soon to get some more bedding plants.

 

 

While I've been through Newcastle a number of times on the train, I only stopped there once.  It was in 2003 on an attempted surface trip around the world, and I boarded the DFDS ferry to Gothenburg Sweeden.  From there the plan was train and ferry connections to Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Beijing and a cruise ship Beijing to Vancouver.  Unfortunately, SARS got in the way and the ship was cancelled so I had to fly home.  I made a second attempt last year but that got scrapped due to Covid and I've given up that dream.   The only photo I have of Newcastle is the Prince of Scandanavia.

 

 

Roy

[Vict0riann]

2 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Thank you both for your sympathy.  I'm still a little numb at the losses we experienced last Friday.  Yesterday I was looking at some photos taken with Nancy.  I sent this one to my nieces in case they hadn't seen it before.  They are going to show photos in a video during her visitation on Saturday the 19th.  This is my sister (my second Mother as I called her) along with myself on the left and my twin on the right.  We would be about 2-3 and Nancy would have been 11-12.  

 

It's a cell phone photo of an old sepia print photo so sorry if it's a little blurry.  

 

What a lovely picture!   I have no siblings, but I can imagine how sad you must be - I always wanted a big sister.

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, bennybear said:

I am so glad it worked for you!  It sounds so strange!  Woo hoo! 

Thank you Bennybear for your warm welcome.

Graham.

[StLouisCruisers]

2 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

What a lovely picture!   I have no siblings, but I can imagine how sad you must be - I always wanted a big sister.

❤️❤️❤️

[Vict0riann]

46 minutes ago, garlictown said:

😯Just saw on Seth Wayne's HAL site about cancelled cruises with various dates for a restart. 

Nieuw Statendam cancelled Sept. 3- Nov.7.

Volendam cancelled Sept. 11- Nov. 10.

Rotterdam starting Sept. 26.

Katie

Wow!  Thanks for that.  I wonder what is going on.  @sailingdutchy, what will that do for you?  I guess we will have to wait and see what is going to happen.

[Vict0riann]

7 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

❤️❤️❤️

Right back at you!

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

While I've been through Newcastle a number of times on the train, I only stopped there once.  It was in 2003 on an attempted surface trip around the world, and I boarded the DFDS ferry to Gothenburg Sweeden.  From there the plan was train and ferry connections to Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Beijing and a cruise ship Beijing to Vancouver.  Unfortunately, SARS got in the way and the ship was cancelled so I had to fly home.  I made a second attempt last year but that got scrapped due to Covid and I've given up that dream.   The only photo I have of Newcastle is the Prince of Scandanavia.

 

 

Roy

Before our first cruise on P&O Aurora in 2003 we got on a few cruiseferries from Newcastle on the Queen, King and Princess of Scandinavia to Gothenburg,Bergen and also Amsterdam.

The cruise Terminal is next to the ferry terminal and they use the same check in building.

Beaches, shopping, scenery, nightlife and many tourist attractions make Northumberland and Durham perfect places to visit.

Graham.

[bennybear]

Good morning and thanks all!  That Prosecco sounds good, need to go to Italy I guess,  love ice tea!

 

@StLouisCruisers love the precious photo!  
 

yikes re the cancellations!  I’m glad we cancelled the Rotterdam before final payment!  
 

@kazu what a journey!  Hope something works out in a way you would like! 

Edited June 10, 2021 by bennybear

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Good morning, all! What a good collection of days. Ball point pens to write recipes, herbs and spices to make them, ice tea once the dish is in the oven. 
We’ve been up the Amazon on the Elegant Explorer, and over the Amazon Bar into the mouth of the Amazon on the Amsterdam. The Amazon is like nowhere else on earth, and if you haven’t been, you should go once the world stabilizes again. 
My good news is that I was able to make my appointment for my second jab this morning. I go on July 3! My bad news is my cousin who lost her SIL, her DM and her DH within two months last summer has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She is getting part of her lung removed today. She’s been through so much, and just can’t catch a break.

I don’t have any pictures of the Amazon bar, as it’s underwater. But I have a couple of favourite pics of the Amazon.

 

Sunset near the mouth of the Amazon. You can see the north shore in the distance. You couldn’t see the south shore.

 

The Amsterdam and a river boat.

 

Vegetation on shore upriver.

 

Swimming with wild dolphins that live freely in the river. If they want a treat, they come in to play by shore. If they don’t want to, they don’t come. In retrospect, swimming in the river was fun, and exciting, but possibly not wise.

 

And holding a tarantula our guide picked up off the ground in the rainforest may not have been wise either.

 

A tree close to where the tarantula was found.

 

Happy Thursday! Did you ever think you’d miss an elevator floor, even on a BHB?

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by Horizon chaser 1957

[rafinmd]

3 minutes ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Good morning, all! What a good collection of days. Ball point pens to write recipes, herbs and spices to make them, ice tea once the dish is in the oven. 
We’ve been up the Amazon on the Elegant Explorer, and over the Amazon Bar into the mouth of the Amazon on the Amsterdam. The Amazon is like nowhere else on earth, and if you haven’t been, you should go once the world stabilizes again. 
My good news is that I was able to make my appointment for my second jab this morning. I go on July 3! My bad news is my cousin who lost her SIL, her DM and her DH within two months last summer has been diagnosed with lung cancer. She is getting part of her lung removed today. She’s been through so much, and just can’t catch a break.

I don’t have any pictures of the Amazon bar, as it’s underwater. But I have a couple of favourite pics of the Amazon.

 

Sunset near the mouth of the Amazon. You can see the north shore in the distance. You couldn’t see the south shore.

 

The Amsterdam and a river boat.

 

Vegetation on shore upriver.

 

Swimming with wild dolphins that live freely in the river. If they want a treat, they come in to play by shore. If they don’t want to, they don’t come. In retrospect, swimming in the river was fun, and exciting, but possibly not wise.

 

And holding a tarantula our guide picked up off the ground I. The rainforest may not have been wise either.

 

A tree close to where the tarantula was found.

 

Happy Thursday! Did you ever think you’d miss an elevator floor, even on a BHB?

 

I think the picture with the riverboat is the Prinsendam, not Amsterdam, after the Winter Garden/Canaletto was installed.

 

Roy

[Vict0riann]

Okay, now I will have to start over.  An interesting day today.  It is supposed to rain - especially as our windows were washed yesterday, and Pat is off golfing, but the sky is pretty blue at the moment.  We have had a very dry Spring, only about a third of our usual precipitation and we are threatened with a very smoky Summer and a lot of forest fires.  The gardeners come today, and as soon as they finish I am going around the back to seed a little more grass in the areas that didn't sprout.  My one flower bed is beginning to look a little top-heavy - I may have overfed it earlier.  I am having to stake a lot of things.

 

I like the look of the zucchini sliders, my plant is flowering madly, but not all the fruiting flowers are developing - I think there may be a shortage of insects to pollenate them.  The peas are doing well, though, I may pick a few today.  

 

On the Prinsendam in 2019 we crossed the bar, coming and going, I guess, I don't have any pictures, and we didn't get stuck, the river was quite high.  I do have a few pictures (just a few, about 1,000!) of the cruise, which was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

 

Jacqui's friends Jane and John bid on, and won, the big mat announcing the cruise - we saw it in their pool house in Ontario!

 

 

Not quite sure where the bar is, but it's somewhere in there...

 

 

On the Amazon

 

 

And I have to include one of Pat in the Rio Negro with the pink doophins