The Fleet Report and Daily for Friday December 2nd, 2022

[dobiemom]

Good morning. Thanks to all who contribute to make this the most friendly, loving thread on CC
 

Well, I’m way behind. Started packing a bit. I have my clothes picked out, just need to try on the dresses to make sure they fit. I decided to change up my “cruise wardrobe“ so friends won’t see me in the same things I wore my last 2 cruises with them (the most recent 3 weeks ago 😜). OK, got them picked out, made a few changes. 

 

I’m not going to the craft fair (don’t really need anything, it’s just a tradition) but going to the chiropractor instead. I did something to my back last weekend and I thought I was going to be down, but thankfully it got better. But I made an appointment for a treatment/adjustment just in case. 

 

Oh, I went to the 99 Cent Store for holiday decor for my dad’s grave. Most of the stuff is now $1.30 and it goes up from there. They wanted to charge $13 for a plastic wreath. I put that back. So after the chiropractor I need to visit a Dollar Store to find a wreath, then to the bank, and fill up the gas tank.

 

I’ll make one last dinner for DH (spaghetti so he has leftovers) and finish packing. Good thing I’m driving to the port or I’d be a nervous wreck. 

Off to my appointment. 

[kochleffel]

1 hour ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

I give credit to all who post from ships. It’s taken me a couple of days to finally get logged on. I don’t think Princess likes me.

 

There are inherent issues with internet service on ships because it's by satellite and because it is often oversubscribed, but your location in the ship also matters. In a cruise this summer on RCI, I had a forward-facing cabin, and the connection there was unreliable. It was better midship, and when I needed to place an order online (because of an expiring reward) I did it from the ship's library, where my iPad would stay connected.

 

I will pass on the pork chops, and while beef short ribs are OK with me, I think I'd prefer that they not be grazed. I think that dinner tonight will be salmon, roasted leeks, and tiny gold potatoes.

 

I'm supposedly off from work today, but have been dealing with an enraged member. We're holding a Hanukkah dinner on the 18th, and reservations and payment have to be made online in advance. A member mailed in a check (wrong) to another organization (not us - wrong), and called to ask whether they should stop payment (no, just ask the other organization not to deposit it) and send a new check to us (no). Member didn't like being asked to reserve online: "I'm an older person and I don't like to put my credit card on the internet. You shouldn't expect people over 70 to do this." (News flash: I am over 70 myself.)

 

[Norseh2o]

We returned to the USA after 6 weeks across the pond.  Our October cruise on NCL Star was our final cancelled for Covid make-up cruise.  Nice to travel with sister, brother & in-laws and DH.  The food and service on the Star were better than expected. The best part was the tour at the end of the trip- a coach excursion with a dozen others, we traveled from Southampton to London with an outstanding tour guide and driver!   We stayed in London 3 more days and thanks to the tube system, visited museums, enjoyed fine outdoor lunches and a peek at Westminster Abbey (which seems to be getting ready for the coronation! 👑). We flew to Lisbon and used the subway system to explore the city (in between rain showers!).  We boarded Oceania Sirena for b2b, Lisbon to Barcelona, Barcelona to Miami, home for Thanksgiving.  Hopeful that the transatlantic trips can continue for years, nothing better than days at sea! Thanks to all for The Daily, I missed many days, hope to catch up.  Happy December!

[RedneckBob]

6 hours ago, Himself said:

Thanks for the update. Having a wonderful cruise on the Nieuw Statendam

Great to hear! Leave a light on for us boarding tomorrow. 😀

[XBGuy]

We visited Lima in 2004 when we were on a Celebrity cruise.  Some of the pictures that @HAL4NOWposted led me to believe that the excursion that we took visited that same hacienda and those same ruins.

 

1 hour ago, HAL4NOW said:

 

 

 

Mrs. XBGuy was allowed to ride a Paso Horse.  I suspect that was the highlight of the cruise for her.  We had pictures, but they were lost in a system kerfuffle some years ago,

 

The other highlight of that hacienda visit was a Pachamanca for our lunch.  A Pachamanca is like a Peruvian Luau--a pig is roasted under a pile of leaves and rocks with potatoes and vegetables.  Of special interest was the local corn.  The kernels were quite large--approximately 1/2 inch.  Many of the cruisers were disappointed in the corn because it was not sweet at all--very starchy.

 

As you might imagine many of us turistas, including me, were wearing shorts--it was late summer in the Southern Hemisphere.  As I was wandering around I noticed that one of my fellow cruisers had multiple drips of blood on the back of his calves,  Then I noticed that I had similar drips running down the backs of my calves.  Yup, there was some sort of bug in the grass that was munching on us,  I forget the name of the bug.  The bites were inconsequential until hours later when the started itching like crazy.  I was scratching like crazy for the next couple of days.-

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by XBGuy

[kazu]

4 hours ago, smitty34877 said:

Thank you for including  our Tana on the Care list. This morning she looks a little better but did not sleep well. 

My hip problem  is painful but I will have to wait and see when surgery is feasible. I appreciate  the prayers  .

 

Glad to hear Tana appears to be look a bit better.  Prayers that she can get some good, healing sleep and improve and you can bear your hip pain until the surgery comes (and that it is quick) 🙏🏻 

 

4 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

Good Friday morning.  A brief report for me today because my DB has been admitted to the hospital for at least a couple of days due to bleeding and low RBC count.  I will go pick up some meds at the pharmacy, a trip to the bird feed store visit DB in the hospital and then another trip back to Costco. 

 

I am so sorry to hear this 😔 Praying that your DB can be helped and improves 🙏🏻 

 

1 hour ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

I give credit to all who post from ships. It’s taken me a couple of days to finally get logged on. I don’t think Princess likes me.

Last night we were informed of major storms heading toward the Madeira Islands so our stop there plus Casablanca was canceled. 3rd time we’ve missed Morocco. But we are going to Tenerife tomorrow so at least we have a port stop before Ft. Lauderdale. Now to catch up with the last few days. 

 

Oh so sorry to hear you have missed Morocco for the 3rd time, Susie 😔. I hope you enjoy Tenerife 🤞 

 

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Sadly, one of our neighbors died yesterday morning after a long illness.  His wife of course is heartbroken but doing well.  According to another neighbor, the wife is a very strong woman who took excellent care of her husband.

 

So very sorry to hear this. 😔 Prayer so him, his wife and family, you and all your neighbours affected 🙏🏻 

 

50 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Sorry the cocktail of the day is late.  We were on a morning excursion.

 

Bad, bad lady.  I told you not to apologize for being late - we appreciate you taking the time to post on your cruise 👍. It doesn’t matter what time you do it 😉 

 

48 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

Good thing I’m driving to the port or I’d be a nervous wreck. 
 

 

Have a great cruise, Marcie 🙂 

 

12 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

We returned to the USA after 6 weeks across the pond.  Our October cruise on NCL Star was our final cancelled for Covid make-up cruise.  Nice to travel with sister, brother & in-laws and DH.  The food and service on the Star were better than expected. The best part was the tour at the end of the trip- a coach excursion with a dozen others, we traveled from Southampton to London with an outstanding tour guide and driver!   We stayed in London 3 more days and thanks to the tube system, visited museums, enjoyed fine outdoor lunches and a peek at Westminster Abbey (which seems to be getting ready for the coronation! 👑). We flew to Lisbon and used the subway system to explore the city (in between rain showers!).  We boarded Oceania Sirena for b2b, Lisbon to Barcelona, Barcelona to Miami, home for Thanksgiving.  Hopeful that the transatlantic trips can continue for years, nothing better than days at sea! Thanks to all for The Daily, I missed many days, hope to catch up.  Happy December!

 

Sound like you had a fabulous time 👍 So glad to hear this 🙂 

[Himself]

6 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Thank you for the TGIF Fleet Report and Daily, Rich.  I'll pass on the Faux Fir and don't really see a lot of bartenders since I don't drink but will celebrate pollution prevention.  I love the Riordan quote and have been to Lima several times, I think on the Crystal Symphony, Prinsendam, and Zaandam.  The Pork Chops sound nice.  My alternative is Apple and Pear Gazpacho, Grazed short ribs with roasted garlic cloves, and Key Lime and white chocolate tart as served on MS Prinsendam December 2, 2013.

 

It's too early to tell but I think the new meds are helping.

 

Today’s care list:

RIP Jazzyv BFF dad 11/27/22 Funeral 12/3
Mamaofami grandson with Covid and Carol possibly exposed
Tana with pneumonia
Smitty34877 waiting for hip replacement
Ichiban Nekko DH in Florida hospital
From the rotation:
cruisin single step-son with double cancer and months of recovery before kidney removal
Crabbbi Patti dealing with Dad’s dimentia
Cruising-along niece awaiting a kidney
Luvteaching DH recovering from fall

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

luvterching DH doing great in rehab
Work started on Terri’s house
Quartzite Cruizer DH doing great at home
2 days for Mister67 (Nieuw Amsterdam 12/4 to 12/11)
1 days for Dobiemom (Discovery Princess 12/3 to 12/10)
Bon Voyage
Himself (Nieuw Statendam 11/26 to 12/3), Lady Hudson (Enchantment OTS  to 12/9) ,SusiekIslandGirl (Island Princess to 12/12)  StLouisCruiser  and Summer Slope (Volendam  to 12/17) at sea
Cunnorl (Noordam to 1/2/23),  Damcruiser (Nieuw Statendam  to 1/14/23), and  Horizon Chaser1957 (Zaandam to 12/20; Zuiderdam 12/22 to 5/12/23) at sea

Roy

 

Roy, am in Freeport, Bahamas.  Parked not too far from the Zuiderdam which will be in drydock for a couple of weeks. Havinf a wonderful cruise.

[Himself]

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Sorry the cocktail of the day is late.  We were on a morning excursion.

 

Sauza Blue cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1 part Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
1 part DeKuyper® Blue Curacao Liqueur
1 part Lemon-Lime Soda
1 part Sweet and Sour Mix

Instructions
Combine ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.

 

I never had one.

[Sharon in AZ]

Good morning!  I will catch up with the Daily later but wanted to say hi before the day was gone. Yesterday’s smoked chicken was very very good. However, next time I won’t use as much dry rub as the recipe suggests. I think the maple syrup brine makes it and using maple wood chips was really good. 

It looks really brown, maybe overcooked, but it wasn’t, that was just the dry rub. It was so tender and juicy with just the right amount of smoke. 
 

Today’s meal suggestion sounds really good. I’m looking forward to seeing Debbie’s recipes. 
 

Craig went to the movies this morning. I have the crockpot baked pasta going and it looks good. So easy. I’m going to make garlic cheese bread and meatballs to go along. 
 

Have a great day everyone!

[StLouisCruisers]

4 hours ago, smitty34877 said:

Good morning to all.It  is cold this morning but will get up to the forties  later. I will celebrate  pollution prevention  and appreciate  bartenders on BHB's in spite of not drinking alcohol for many years. We gave not been to the port and the recipe sounds good.

Roy @rafinmd, I hope the medication helps.

Thank you for including  our Tana on the Care list. This morning she looks a little better but did not sleep well. 

My hip problem  is painful but I will have to wait and see when surgery is feasible. I appreciate  the prayers  .

Yesterday there was a terrible accident in our city and a Police Officer died.Anither car lost control and hit both a bus and the Police Officers ' car. His name was not released pending family notification.

Be safe and careful out there.

Terry, I'm glad to hear Tana looks a little better but sorry about the sleep issues.  I can sympathize having not slept well last night either.  Why does it always feel like the ships turn the AC off for a few hours in the middle of the night?  All in charge claim they don't but everyone says it feels that way.

 

I hope your hip issue can be repaired soon so you don't have to suffer too long.  Also how awful about the police officer dying in that accident.  They are always putting their lives on the line for us.  May he RIP.

 

 

 

4 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

Good Friday morning.  A brief report for me today because my DB has been admitted to the hospital for at least a couple of days due to bleeding and low RBC count.  I will go pick up some meds at the pharmacy, a trip to the bird feed store visit DB in the hospital and then another trip back to Costco.  Their bird suet is 20 packs for the price of 10 at Tractor Supply.   I am going to give my neighbor across the street bird feed and suet to help my overfed birds through the winter.  

Looking forward to the photos of Callao/Lima.   We are going to be there January 13-15.  We will do a couple of HA tours, a dinner at Casa Aliaga and Inca civilization and Pachamac.   Have a great Friday.  Nancy 

Oh, I'm sorry to hear your DB is not doing well today.  It's so nice you can visit him so regularly.  Time in hospitals pass so slowly for the poor patients.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Good morning Dailyites. I was surprised to wake to fog and misty rain. Going to be 72 today.

 

Thinking of those in need of healing. Tana, Steve, Roy, Terri..

 

@StLouisCruisers hoping your cruise is going well. I know it's hot and muggy, and feel bad the tenders are keeping you up. How has the dining/food been?

 

Today we have a quick checkup at dr., pick up a med, and meet friends for lunch.

 

We have our little pup friend for a few days. Last night it was a doggie gaggle with 3 dogs while we played our last game (for me) of Mahjongg til the end of January. 

 

Happy Bartenders Day ya'll!

 

Joy, the cruise seems to be going nicely.  Yes, these places are hot and muggy but that's what we signed up for.  Last night we went to hear the Classical Duo play (piano and violin).  We arrived in the middle of what should have been their second session and no one was there.  They were sitting there in Explorer's Lounge not playing at all.  When we came in they started playing and a few more people stopped by to listen.  I think I would advise them to play whether anyone is there or not, since you can draw in people passing by that way.  DH talked to them earlier in the day and found out they were both ladies from Ukraine so we wanted to go to support them.  I think we will try that again tonight.  As for food, it varies.  Sometimes great and sometimes fair.  One night DH had the salmon and it was dry.  Unfortunately that same night I tried the what I call always available chicken dish, and the chicken was dry too.  But one night they had a cheese enchilada dish that was great and I hope to see it on the menu again.  Tonight is MDR and tomorrow night is Canaletto (shrimp special).

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, SusieKIslandGirl said:

I give credit to all who post from ships. It’s taken me a couple of days to finally get logged on. I don’t think Princess likes me.

Last night we were informed of major storms heading toward the Madeira Islands so our stop there plus Casablanca was canceled. 3rd time we’ve missed Morocco. But we are going to Tenerife tomorrow so at least we have a port stop before Ft. Lauderdale. Now to catch up with the last few days. 

What a shame you can't seem to get to Morocco!  The weather can wreak havoc on the cruise ship itineraries.  Have a nice time in Tenerife which is a great stop on any cruise.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, HAL4NOW said:

We visited Callao (Lima), Peru, in April of 2019 on the Zaandam. It was an overnight, but I don't remember what we did the second day in port. The first day we took the Holland America excursion called Inca Civilization and Pachacamac. I will post a few pictures from that excursion.

My DW had been in Lima as a teenager but didn't recognize anything in the city. The population had grown from less than 3 million when she visited to over 10 million when we visited. Lima is larger than New York City in population and didn't impress me as somewhere I would want to spend much time.

 

This type of garage door was typical; houses came to the curbs and outdoor living areas are in enclosed courts. 

 

My DW posed beside a very unstable llama that began to fall when she bumped it. The llama and DW survived without an actual fall; it made for a good chuckle. 

 

 

Pachacamac was interesting and very expansive. Archeologists continue to work at the site.

 

 

 

We visited a hacienda and were greeted by a ten-piece mariachi band. They played throughout much of the visit while the dancers and horses entertained us.

 

 

We were given a lesson about paso horses and introduced to a colt to show that their special gate was not something that had been forced on them for show. It was a natural behavior. The paso horses were very majestic and the show was quite entertaining.

 

 

 

We were then entertained by some dancers doing traditional Spanish dances; they then joined the horses and horsemen for a few more dances.

 

 

 

We were treated to a large buffet style meal while the band continued to play, and additional dancers came out to perform around the table.

 

 

Your tour looks great!  I think I would enjoy that hacienda stop a lot.  The horses are so beautiful!  And the music and food look fantastic!  Thank you for posting the photos.

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

A late good morning from a gray, misty, windy and chilly central Texas.  We slept well last night and didn't get up until almost 8 this morning.  Everything is going well, but I was not moving as fast getting going today since I did not need to drive to Waco.  👏

 

Sadly, one of our neighbors died yesterday morning after a long illness.  His wife of course is heartbroken but doing well.  According to another neighbor, the wife is a very strong woman who took excellent care of her husband.

 

We have been to Lima twice.  in 2001, on Noordam III, We took a taxi, along with two tablemates, to see the catacombs under the cathedral.  If you have never been to the catacombs they are interesting, but a little creepy.  I won't say any more about them so I won't ruin the first look for anyone.  Unfortunately, that was the last cruise where I still had a film camera. 

 

In 2015, along with @StLouisCruisers Sandi and Dennis on Ruby Princess, we docked in Callao.  That day due to reports of high crime in Lima, we took the shuttle to Miraflores, a resort and beach area outside of Lima.  These are some of my pictures from our day in Miraflores.

 

This first group of pictures were taken from the shuttle on the way to Miraflores.

 

 

 

 

For those of us who wanted to convert US dollars into Peruvian Nuevo Sol, the guide from the shuttle led us down the main street until she found the man she was seeking.  She explained that he was a money changer and would give us a good rate.  From what we knew of the exchange rate, we felt we got a fair deal.  From there, we walked down to the Indian Market to look at the native crafts.  The large market that was in the terminal in 2001 had closed by 2015.   Compared to a huge warehouse full of vendors, the Indian Market was small and a disappointment, but it was still interesting.  I think we bought two t-shirts.

 

 

 

Our drop off point was a hotel across from a large open air mall overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  It was a good place to sit and relax, get ice cream and a cold drink.

 

 

 

Views of the Pacific and the coast road from the mall.

 

 

 

Looking down the main street from the mall.

 

An interesting fountain near the mall

 

 

Since we didn't spend all our Nuevo Sol, and we knew that by the time returned to Peru, the currency would have changed again, we needed to find a way to spend what we had.  There was a casino next to the hotel pick up point, and we figured we would have some fun while getting rid of the money.  Wouldn't you know it, that was the day the slot machines were hot, and I kept winning.  Finally, we switched machines and made our donation to the slot gods.

 

Now, I'll finish reading the Fleet/Daily.

 

Lenda

 

I'm happy to hear you both slept so well last night.  Rest is important in healing and recovery.  But very sad news about your neighbor passing away.  Prayers for his wife.  We are having too many deaths in our little neighborhood too.  Puts life into perspective.

 

Thank you for your photos of Callao/Lima. I recognize the area at the coastline at the mall you mentioned.  When we were there I recall seeing hang gliders taking off from the cliff to the beach below.  Not sure I'd want to ever try that!

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, JazzyV said:

Good afternoon. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Faux fur is good, so real fur isn't used. A salute to bartenders and preventing world pollution.

Good quote. I like the meal, pass on the drink and maybe for the wine.

I haven't been to Callao.

 

It will be up into the 50's later, and sunny. I'm trying to do some decluttering around here. I finally got the last ingredients for making my Christmas bread, but with the funeral tomorrow, I'll wait until Sunday to start, as it's a 2-3 day process.

 

There has been so many shootings around here lately. Yesterday a woman and a 4-year old were shot, and the 4-year old died. The suspected shooters took off, and police searched, but didn't find them. It seems so many arguments or issues end up with guns being fired. It's awful, and you don't want to get hit by a stray bullet. I won't drive in some areas, although it can happen anywhere I guess.

 

@Himself Enjoy the cruise!

@grapau27 That breakfast looks yummy! Enjoy.

@seagarsmoker I hope the sinus issue clears up quickly.

@rafinmd Thank you for our lists. Hoping the new treatments work for your lips.

@Cruzin Terri Sorry the work hasn't started on the house. You need that cruise!

@ger_77 Ugh, that's cold! 

@StLouisCruisers Sad to hear about another neighbor gone. Sorry about the tender noise affecting your sleep. 

@smitty34877 I'm glad Tana looks a little better, and I hope she can get some better sleep. I also hope your hip pain is bearable until surgery. So sad about the police officer killed.

@dfish Farkle Friday sounds like fun. I never heard of Farkle before. Thanks for the recipes.

@ottahand7 Sorry to hear DB got admitted to the hospital; prayers for him.

@aliaschief Ugh on the cold still hanging on; hopefully it eases up soon.

@HAL4NOW Thanks for the photos from Lima.

@Quartzsite Cruiser So happy to her that Steve is home and doing well using the walker. Sorry to hear about your neighbor passing. Thanks for the pictures from Lima. 

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Salute to the Celebration List.

Stay safe everyone.

 

Vanessa, prayers for you and your BFF as you go through the strain of the funeral tomorrow.  Never easy.  And what a horrific shooting in your city!  That poor 4 year old child and his mother should never have had to face that type of activity.  I feel terribly for the family.

 

 

 

 

55 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Sorry the cocktail of the day is late.  We were on a morning excursion.

 

Sauza Blue cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1 part Sauza® Blue Silver 100% Agave Tequila
1 part DeKuyper® Blue Curacao Liqueur
1 part Lemon-Lime Soda
1 part Sweet and Sour Mix

Instructions
Combine ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.

 

Dixie, don't worry about being late!  Boy they started some of those tours awfully early this morning.  What was your tour?  We went over and walked up to the Theatre/Opera House.  There were a lot of Christmas decorations out on some of the nearby park areas.  It was very noisy walking up there, because the drivers in Manaus are not afraid of honking their horns.  It was a bit chaotic!

 

If we go to hear the Classical Duo each night at 6:30 we probably wouldn't make it to Ocean Bar until 7:15 (just in case you happen to stop by there - haha!).  Tomorrow night is Canaletto at 7:30 so might not go there beforehand at all. 

 

 

 

 

54 minutes ago, dobiemom said:

Good morning. Thanks to all who contribute to make this the most friendly, loving thread on CC
 

Well, I’m way behind. Started packing a bit. I have my clothes picked out, just need to try on the dresses to make sure they fit. I decided to change up my “cruise wardrobe“ so friends won’t see me in the same things I wore my last 2 cruises with them (the most recent 3 weeks ago 😜). OK, got them picked out, made a few changes. 

 

I’m not going to the craft fair (don’t really need anything, it’s just a tradition) but going to the chiropractor instead. I did something to my back last weekend and I thought I was going to be down, but thankfully it got better. But I made an appointment for a treatment/adjustment just in case. 

 

Oh, I went to the 99 Cent Store for holiday decor for my dad’s grave. Most of the stuff is now $1.30 and it goes up from there. They wanted to charge $13 for a plastic wreath. I put that back. So after the chiropractor I need to visit a Dollar Store to find a wreath, then to the bank, and fill up the gas tank.

 

I’ll make one last dinner for DH (spaghetti so he has leftovers) and finish packing. Good thing I’m driving to the port or I’d be a nervous wreck. 

Off to my appointment. 

Enjoy your cruise with friends!!

 

 

 

17 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

We returned to the USA after 6 weeks across the pond.  Our October cruise on NCL Star was our final cancelled for Covid make-up cruise.  Nice to travel with sister, brother & in-laws and DH.  The food and service on the Star were better than expected. The best part was the tour at the end of the trip- a coach excursion with a dozen others, we traveled from Southampton to London with an outstanding tour guide and driver!   We stayed in London 3 more days and thanks to the tube system, visited museums, enjoyed fine outdoor lunches and a peek at Westminster Abbey (which seems to be getting ready for the coronation! 👑). We flew to Lisbon and used the subway system to explore the city (in between rain showers!).  We boarded Oceania Sirena for b2b, Lisbon to Barcelona, Barcelona to Miami, home for Thanksgiving.  Hopeful that the transatlantic trips can continue for years, nothing better than days at sea! Thanks to all for The Daily, I missed many days, hope to catch up.  Happy December!

Your cruise/vacation adventure sounds wonderful!  I love staying in London a few days like you did.  We've never done that in Lisbon before, just the cruise ship stops.  Hope you have a happy Christmas season there at home.

 

 

My DS is on his way to Palm Springs with Ren for a scouting event for soccer players.  They will be there until Wednesday.  I believe a few other friends like Colton and Tyson (who Ren has played soccer with since kindergarten) will be there too.  I'm sure they'll enjoy the sunshine and warmth being from Michigan! 

 

 

 

 

[dfish]

1 hour ago, JazzyV said:

 

@dfish Farkle Friday sounds like fun. I never heard of Farkle before. Thanks for the recipes.

 

 

It is fun.  Farkle is a fun game to play and easy to learn.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farkle

 

 

 

7 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Terry, I'm glad to hear Tana looks a little better but sorry about the sleep issues.  I can sympathize having not slept well last night either.  Why does it always feel like the ships turn the AC off for a few hours in the middle of the night?  All in charge claim they don't but everyone says it feels that way.

 

 

 

Add my thanks that Tana looks a little better this morning.  Sandi, I swear someone messes with my thermostat here at home in the middle of the night.  I get really hot and throw the covers off for a while and then wake up cold and put them back on.  I know nothing like that is happening because I am the only one here right now.  And, I've never been known to sleepwalk.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good afternoon.  I've finally caught up with the Fleet/Daily.  

 

Faux Fur is much better to wear than real fur, but neither go with my usual t-shirt and shorts or jeans.  I will salute all the hard working bartenders, especially those on BHBs.  World pollution prevention day should be everyday.  

 

I like today's quote by Rick Riordan, a fellow Texan.  He is known for his young adult series of books, but I enjoyed his Tres Navarre series about a San Antonio private detective.  

 

We'll pass on the pork chops and the drink.  DH was set to grill a steak today since the high is supposed to be 70F, but since it is still cloudy and wet, we decided to wait a day or two for another warm spell. Instead, it will be fish and chips cooked in the air fryer.  We have enjoyed today's wine.

 

@MISTER 67  Safe travels tomorrow on your drive to Ft. Lauderdale.

@seagarsmoker I hope the sinus infection clears up soon.

@rafinmd  Roy, I hope the new meds help clear up the problem.  I appreciate your putting DH on the care list, and then on the celebration list.  He is doing well now, with mainly some numbness still in his leg.  That will resolve itself over time.  I think he can safely come off the lists, and being able to say that is a celebration in itself.

@cat shepard  Ann, the power of being home can do wonders.

@Cruzin Terri  Teri, I'm sorry the work on your house has been delayed and that the flooring you wanted won't be there on time.  I'm happy you were able to order the ottoman.

@ger_77  Gerry, even though our weather isn't as bad as yours, I agree that someone must have ticked off Mother Nature.  Our weather is colder and wetter than normal.  This reminds me of the old tv commercial, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature".

@smitty34877  Terry, I'm glad Tana looks a little better today, but sorry she is not sleeping well.  I hope the antibiotics work their magic soon.  

@dfish  Debbie, we both enjoyed DH's first night at home.  I'm also one who never heard of Farkle.  My father and I played gin rummy almost every night when I was in high school.  He insisted on playing for a penny a point.

@ottahand7  Nancy, I'm sorry your DB is back in the hospital because of bleeding.  I hope they get it under control again and that's the last time it happens.

@dobiemom  Enjoy your cruise.  Your friends will enjoy being with you no matter what you wear.

@Norseh2o  Welcome home.  

@SusieKIslandGirl  I'm sorry you had to miss those two ports.  We've enjoyed both.

@StLouisCruisers  Sandi, the one problem with living in a 55+ community is that your neighbors die at a faster rate than in an regular neighborhood.  When we moved here in 1999, we were some of the youngest people here.  Now, most of our friends who were here then are either dead or in their 80s and 90s.  Including us, there are only four households left who were here in 1999, and two of them, the wife has died.  It's likely we were at the mall in Miraflores at the same time, but didn't know it.  I'm also wondering what Ren and the other boys do about school and homework while at these scouting camps.

@aliaschief  I hope your cold is better soon.  Take care.

 

Lenda

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Lenda Quote:

 

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, the one problem with living in a 55+ community is that your neighbors die at a faster rate than in an regular neighborhood.  When we moved here in 1999, we were some of the youngest people here.  Now, most of our friends who were here then are either dead or in their 80s and 90s.  Including us, there are only four households left who were here in 1999, and two of them, the wife has died.  It's likely we were at the mall in Miraflores at the same time, but didn't know it.  I'm also wondering what Ren and the other boys do about school and homework while at these scouting camps.

 

 

I hear you about the age group we live among being older of course, so passing at a faster rate.  Unfortunately, two of the gentlemen had accidents which killed them.  They could have had the accidents due to age though, but I don't know.  The first may have been a car accident caused by a medical emergency.  The third was a fall off a ladder which can happen to anyone, but could have been caused by a lack of a sense of balance.  My son said no more ladders for us, but he doesn't know how many things we do and take care of at home that require a ladder.  It's a tough decision to make on when we need to give them up.

 

The soccer boys must do all homework and turn it in on schedule.  I'm sure they can do that online nowadays.  Sometimes it takes a later night than they'd like to stay up, but it must be done.  Lucky for Ren he doesn't struggle with schoolwork so it probably doesn't take as long as it would with someone having problems grasping new concepts.  He could have actually been doing homework on the long flight out to California today.  That would be a good use of his time.

[HAL4NOW]

My DW, who always has a better memory than me, told me what we did for our second day in Callao (Lima). We took a boat out to the Palamino Islands, and she swam with the sea lions. That continues to be one of her favorite cruise memories. 

It was another Holland America Excursion called Wildlife Lovers' Paradise. 

 

 

 

 

We saw lots of sea lions and penguins. 

 

 

 

 

DW's highlight was swimming with the sea lions.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by HAL4NOW

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2016 combination, QM2 Eastbound transatlantic, a voyage on QE to fill a timing gap, and a return transatlantic on Seabourn Odyssey.  On December 2 Queen Elizabeth visited Lisbon:

 

 

Roy

[DeeniEncinitas]

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Aloha!

We are still in Maui and just received this photo of our daughter Shawn with our dear friend Mark who is one of the announcers for our Padres. We usually go to this charity every year so they sent us a picture! 
Mahalo

Denise☺️

[grapau27]

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on P&O Azura.

[grapau27]

37 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Good evening.

We have just got home after a fantastic 14 night Canary Islands cruise on P&O Azura.

We flew from Newcastle to Tenerife.

We sailed from Tenerife to Madeira twice, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, la Palma, Fuerteventura.

We had 3 nights in Tenerife.

Temperature was between 72°-82°F all the time we were away.

Graham.

 

[ottahand7]

DB is in good spirits and they were slowly infusing his first bag of blood.  If that is uneventful they will give him another.  I will miss seeing him tomorrow because my shifts at our annual Greens Sale.

 

Thank you to @HAL4NOW for the pictures of Inca Civilization and Pachamac.  That is one of our tours in Lima.  @Quartzsite CruiserThanks for the photos of Miraflores.  It looks like a great area at the end of the shuttle from the port.  We are getting excited! 

[cat shepard]

2 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

DB is in good spirits and they were slowly infusing his first bag of blood.  If that is uneventful they will give him another.  I will miss seeing him tomorrow because my shifts at our annual Greens Sale.

 

Thank you to @HAL4NOW for the pictures of Inca Civilization and Pachamac.  That is one of our tours in Lima.  @Quartzsite CruiserThanks for the photos of Miraflores.  It looks like a great area at the end of the shuttle from the port.  We are getting excited! 

Nancy, glad to hear your brother is in good spirits. Hopefully the medical team will be able to get his wounds to heal. 

[St Pete Cruiser]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

We flew from Newcastle to Tenerife.

We sailed from Tenerife to Madeira twice, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, la Palma, Fuerteventura.

We had 3 nights in Tenerife.

Temperature was between 72°-82°F all the time we were away.

Graham.

 

Sounds like a great cruise for an Englishman in November.  Not being very familiar with the P&O fleet, your ship looks just like a Princess ship of that era.  Being part of Carnival, I understand how that works.  Did you find out the breakdown in where the guests onboard were from?  

[Vict0riann]

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

We flew from Newcastle to Tenerife.

We sailed from Tenerife to Madeira twice, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, la Palma, Fuerteventura.

We had 3 nights in Tenerife.

Temperature was between 72°-82°F all the time we were away.

Graham.

 

We figured you and Pauline were on the move again,  with all the food porn!  😁

[marshhawk]

I never got my nap today, DH's appt at 2 didn't start until 2:20 and he got out after four, and then we had to to to the store.  Which I get to do again tomorrow.  I did finally book our flight over to Rome for next October, and tomorrow I will book the hotel.  I guess I need to read reviews, but I really like the look and location of Pantheon Inn.

 

@ottahand7Your brother has had one heck of a time with his knee.  I hope he is doing better.

@smitty34877I hope you can get some relief pre surgery for your hip.  And I hope Tana is doing better with her medications.

@dfishI told DH about the recipes today, he says he will look at them tomorrow, as he loves pork chops and one of the dishes looks very much like one my mom used to make.

 

Sweet dreams to all of you.

 

[grapau27]

6 hours ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Sounds like a great cruise for an Englishman in November.  Not being very familiar with the P&O fleet, your ship looks just like a Princess ship of that era.  Being part of Carnival, I understand how that works.  Did you find out the breakdown in where the guests onboard were from?  

Thank you.

It is a newer Grand class ship 115.000 tons and entered service in 2010.

The ship passenger capacity is 3100.

First week there was 2300 passengers on board.

Second week there was 1800 passengers on board.

There was close to 100% British passengers.

Edited December 3, 2022 by grapau27

[puppycanducruise]

Looks like you had a great cruise Graham, welcome back.