The Fleet Report and Daily for Friday January 27th, 2023

[rafinmd]

Today is Chocolate Cake Day, Punch the Clock Day, and National Big Wig Day
 

Where there is love there is life.--Mahatma Gandhi

Meal Suggestion for today - Falafel Stuffed Peppers
Drink of the Day - Black Cherry Avalanche
Wine of the Day - Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Hunting Hill 2021
Destination of the Day - Hualien, Taiwan China
 

Eurodam

At Sea Destination Oranjestad Aruba, Netherlands Antilles eta 1-28
 

Koningsdam

At Sea Destination Ensenada, Baja California Mexico eta 1-30
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea Destination Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Florida eta 1-29
 

Nieuw Statendam

Key West, Florida 10:00 - 19:00
 

Oosterdam

At Sea Destination Puerto Madryn, Argentina eta 1-28
 

Rotterdam

Grand Turk Island, Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos 10:00 - 17:00
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Punta Arenas, Chile Antarctica eta 1-28
 

Zaandam

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala 10:00 - 20:00
 

Zuiderdam

At Sea Destination Nukualofa, Tongatapu, Tonga eta 1-30

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Noordam

Gisborne, New Zealand 13:00 - 20:00
 

Westerdam

Drydock Malaysa until 2/2
 

 

 

Roy for Rich

[ottahand7]

Good Friday morning from the land of waterfalls. We are still moving through the Fjords.  We had a great Chilean wine dinner and finally got to the shipwreck Leonidas last evening, rather a yawn.  Have a wonderful day! Nancy 

[seagarsmoker]

Thanks for the Daily Report and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

[summer slope]

Black Cherry Avalanche cocktail:

 

Ingredients:
1 Part Cruzan Black Cherry Rum
1 Part Cherry Liqueur
Lime Wedges
Mint Sprig
Black Cherries
Directions:
Pack rocks glass with shaved ice. Slowly pour chilled spirits over the ice. Squeeze juice of lime on top. Garnish with sprig of mint and a black cherry.

 

[rothbury]

Good morning.  I believe all of the Nieuw Statendam stops at Key West were either cancelled or changed this season.  I'm pretty sure it will be in Nassau today.

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Report.

Hope you are feeling good Roy.

 

We had more snow overnight, the street and sidewalk plows have been out.  We'll get our snowblower out later to clear the driveway.  School buses are cancelled again.

 

An interesting collection of days.  I love chocolate cake.  I haven't punched a clock in years.  I don't have a wig, big or otherwise.

Love the quote.

I'll pass on the meal, but the drink sounds tasty.  Hope the wine is good too.

I've never been to today's port.

 

Not much on the agenda for today other than moving snow.

 

Prayers for everyone.

Stay safe.

[rafinmd]

35 minutes ago, rothbury said:

Good morning.  I believe all of the Nieuw Statendam stops at Key West were either cancelled or changed this season.  I'm pretty sure it will be in Nassau today.

That's what cruisetimetables says but cruisemapper actually shows her in Grand Turk today,

 

Roy

[grapau27]

Good afternoon.

Thank you for today's daily reports Roy.

It is many years since either of us had to Punch the Clock to check in and out of work.

Neither of us have ever wore wigs. 

Yes to Chocolate cake.

Excellent quote.

Today's wine sounds nice.

Best wishes to everyone who is feeling unwell.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Graham.

[RedneckBob]

Welcome back Roy. Hope you are feeling better.

 

Thanks for the Fleet update and general info.

Punch the clock day. I do that almost everyday when my clock alarm goes off at 5 am every morning. You can’t imagine how many clocks I go through each year.

 

Cruising update: Day 3 of 7 cruising along strip in LasVegas. Today me and Misses stop off in Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Instead of looking down at the Seine River we are looking down at Sin City 😀.

[marshhawk]

Good Friday Morning Dailyites!  I meet with a new primary physician today after putting up with Dr. Awful for years.  It's a huge medical practice, but you have to apply to exchange doctors, and most of the doctors would not take a patient from this one doc.  I was about to leave the practice entirely until this doc said she would take me on.

 

Feral Fawn is still acting strange, now runs from both DH and I.  She is now sleeping where Mr. Bubbles used to sleep, he has moved onto the porch permanently.  And she who used to cuddle with him, has gone quite wild.  Fawn acts like she has no idea who we are, or who she is.  But then again, all of the indoor cats have rearranged where they sleep too.,  Irving who used to spend all his time on DH's lap now sleeps on a pillow on my work bench, and the office cat, who used to never leave the office area, is now sleeping on the rug in front of the kitchen sink.  Ever since she went to the vet, she has refused to actually be the office cat.

 

 

@rafinmdThanks for organizing us again this morning.  I hope you are feeling better today.

I still punch a clock, but it's on the computer, and I dont have to punch very hard...I love chocolate cake with ice cream, and since I work at home, and typically go no where, there are no big wigs in my life anymore.

 

 

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning everyone. Thanks for the daily report Roy, nice to see that you’re feeling better.  Oh my, chocolate cake!  I’ll punch the clock again today but probably won’t be wearing a big wig. The meal and drink suggestions sound nice. I haven’t been to today’s port. Prayers for everyone on our prayer list.  Cheers to those celebrating happy events!

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  Another cold 30F morning but we can look forward to sunshine and about 50 with wind gusts of up to 15 mph.  Yesterday we had a brutally cold wind...brrrr!  A great day to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day.  I had to punch a clock when I briefly worked at Proctor and Gamble in St. Louis before I got married.  It was very old school there including having a switchboard operator seated at the entrance to the offices.  They tried to train some of the clerical staff (including me) how to work the switchboard so the operator could take breaks/lunch.  I'm sure several of us just continually disconnected calls though!😄   I absolutely love chocolate cake.🎂  I am certainly not a big wig, nor do I wear one.  I like the Gandhi quote, and will be interested to see the falafal stuffed pepper recipe.  No to the drink or Chardonnay.  Our port today is Hualien, Taiwan which has been listed here twice before.  I have no photos from Hualien but here are Rich's links to Dec. 17, 2021 and Oct. 20, 2022 when we may have had photos posted.

 

Prayers said this morning for all on the Care list (especially Jacqui, Kathi, Tana, and Sarah), and our Ukrainian citizens fighting for their lives and country.  Also our neighborhood was notified yesterday that our neighbor Rudy (one of the original homeowners on this street) had a heart attack Tuesday night.  I emailed his wife and expressed our warm thoughts and prayers for Rudy and she said he will have bypass surgery today at an Atlanta hospital so please add him and his surgical staff to your prayers today.  Funny story about them.  Once we were on a Princess ship (Diamond?) and stopped to glance at the photo albums they had on display in the Photo Department.  Right there in a display album was a lovely photo of Rudy and his DW!! What are the chances?  I emailed them and told them about it and they said they'd been on that ship about 3 months earlier.  Small world!

 

Cheers to all on the Celebration list.  Hope it's a great day for you all, and the cruises are uneventful.  Wild news about the Noordam breaking loose from its lines in Auckland yesterday as @erewhonreported.  Glad to hear all is well now though.  That could be a dangerous event.

 

Here are Rich's posts for Hualien photos:

 

 

 

Caio!

[cat shepard]

Thank Rich & Roy for today’s Report & Daily. A brisk 42 here this morning, but luckily yesterday’s wind has died down.  It is certainly a lovely clear morning. 
 

Roy, hope you continue to feel better. Thank you for keeping up with us, even when not feeling 100%. Gym, Bindi walks, and chores will fill my day. 
 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support: Tana, Kathi, Jacqui and Sarah especially. 
Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone!

 

********

Kumeu River Chardonnay Kumeu Hunting Hill 2021

This New Zealand Chardonnay has lots of consumer and critic fans. I might like to try it, but don’t usually gravitate towards Chardonnay. Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $50.95.

 

Winemaker Notes

Hunting Hill is very distinctive in its terroir typicity, with piercing lemon/lime fruit lift and floral notes on the nose, richness and volume in the mouth followed by lingering acidity and minerality on the finish. This is an absolute classic example of how great the Chardonnay grape can be: A beautifully powerful, yet elegant and complex wine with long term aging ability.

JS96 James Suckling

This has aromas of flint, toast, jasmine, dried pineapples, lemons and sea shells. Some cardamom and salted butter. Classy and driven, with a medium to full body and tight, sleek layers. Perfumed and bright. Everything in balance.

[ottahand7]

Prayers for all on our list and the people of Ukraine.   Praying for healing for Jacqui, Sarah, Tana and Kathi.   @marshhawk I hope feral Fawn gets feeling better.   

It is beginning to feel like winter outside with the brisk wind.  The boat had another "cradle rocking" night last night. We have been sleeping like babies. We enter the Straights of Magellan this evening around dusk. Nancy 

[jayhawk66]

Good morning from a cold but sunny North Florida. Thank you Roy for posting the daily, and all who contribute. We’re putting the house back in order after two weeks of painters inside. The daily has helped me keep some sanity during the process!

[cruising sister]

Good morning,

I am glad to see Roy is feeling better and able to post the Daily. All seems well at the DS and DDIL. Fingers crossed it stays that way and we fly out on Sunday. 
 

I am a huge chocolate cake fan and I am going to lunch with friends to a restaurant that has delicious chocolate cake. I will think of everyone as I eat it. 
 

When I am feeling down about my last year I think of the Ukrainians and what they are going through and I try to remember the blessings I have.  When I was moving in September I found a clock that someone made for my DH that had headlines from the day he was born and one of the stories was Russian invading Ukraine. He was born in October of 1947. How horrible to have this going on for so many years. 

 

Prayers for those on the care list. Happy Friday to those still going to work. I remember how happy I felt every Friday. 

[smitty34877]

Good morning. Thank goodness  my clock punching days are behind me.At my last job I had several patients  who were Holocaust  survivors. Over time they related their stories  and  we learned of the horrors they had endured as very young people.

I am looking forward to the recipe as falafel  holds a place in my heart.DH and I were talking a few  weeks ago about  the place in Greenwich  Village that served it 24 hours back in the day.We made a few stops there after being out and about.....

@cunnorl,I hope the specialist can take care of the eye soon ,sorry to hear about this.

@rafinmd,Roy, I hope you are feeling much better today and do not get the return of symptoms  in the afternoon again. My DS reported feeling the same way when the family experienced the flu(they think) a few weeks  ago.

@grapau27,  Graham, I hope Sarah is experiencing  pain relief today. 

@kazu,  Jacqui,  I hope your elbow  is feeling  better today.

Wishing all of you a great day.

[AncientWanderer]

Good morning all.  I love chocolate cake, don’t know any Big Wigs, and haven’t punched a clock since my college job at a department store. The food and drink sound good, never been to Hualien.  The quote is lovely.

 

@marshhawkAnnie, it must be upsetting seeing Fawn deteriorating like that.  
 

I’m celebrating today.  Nephew called last night to say he’s received his Canadian passport.  His father was born in Canada, and while we knew he was eligible, we had no idea how long it would take.  This is something DN really wanted, so we’re happy for him.

🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
 

Thank you Roy, Rich away at sea, and all contributors to the Daily.  Wishing all a pleasant day.  
 

@marshhawkAnnie, is this the office cat?

 

 

[StLouisCruisers]

Just got a correction to the surgery date for Rudy.  It will be Monday.  Meanwhile, hope he's comfortable till then.  

 

Glad you were able to get up and do the Daily posting today Roy.  Your symptoms coming back at a specific time of day is really strange.  Take care!

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I love chocolate cake, never had to punch a clock, and worked with a few who thought they were big wigs.  LOL

 

It's good to be back - I pretty much disconnected from electronics for the past 3+ weeks.  The only thing I'd do onboard is check in on FB every morning, post a photo of my door sign, and put the iPad away.  There was more than enough to do on the ship and on shore to keep me happy.

 

I had the opportunity to meet and visit with the lovely Joy @Seasick Sailor and her sweet DH Allan.  I wish we had more time with them, but we were traveling with friends who hadn't been to most of the places, so our time was limited.

 

I know today is also Holocaust Survivors Day, so will include them and all who experienced that horrible episode in our history in my prayers.  

 

I can see I have a lot of catch-up reading to do; there seems to have been a lot of things I've missed here on the Daily.  To everyone who has had a birthday or anniversary, I send you my cheers; to all who have had losses in their lives, please know my heart is with you.

 

Oh, some news that might make a few of my CC friends happy:  The Rotterdam has drink runners!!!   We had the most entertaining sweet guy (Anthony) deliver our drinks on the upper dining area every night - he said they were brought back because the table servers were run off their feet.  

 

We returned home a day later than planned due to a snow storm in Toronto; we were able to get out before it totally socked in, and were routed to Calgary where we got a hotel by the airport for about 4 hours sleep, then back home yesterday.  Sochi was a chatterbox from the moment we walked through the door until we put her to bed last night.  I'm pretty sure she'll be attached to me like velcro for the next few days.  LOL

 

After all that wonderful cruise food, it's hard to even think about cooking, but of course it's Friday, so I get the night off.  We'll check the online menus to see what appeals to us and enjoy pizza at the kitchen table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers to all who are in need, Woo Hoo to all who are celebrating.  It feels good to be back here.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

[superoma]

1 minute ago, ger_77 said:

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I love chocolate cake, never had to punch a clock, and worked with a few who thought they were big wigs.  LOL

 

It's good to be back - I pretty much disconnected from electronics for the past 3+ weeks.  The only thing I'd do onboard is check in on FB every morning, post a photo of my door sign, and put the iPad away.  There was more than enough to do on the ship and on shore to keep me happy.

 

I had the opportunity to meet and visit with the lovely Joy @Seasick Sailor and her sweet DH Allan.  I wish we had more time with them, but we were traveling with friends who hadn't been to most of the places, so our time was limited.

 

I know today is also Holocaust Survivors Day, so will include them and all who experienced that horrible episode in our history in my prayers.  

 

I can see I have a lot of catch-up reading to do; there seems to have been a lot of things I've missed here on the Daily.  To everyone who has had a birthday or anniversary, I send you my cheers; to all who have had losses in their lives, please know my heart is with you.

 

Oh, some news that might make a few of my CC friends happy:  The Rotterdam has drink runners!!!   We had the most entertaining sweet guy (Anthony) deliver our drinks on the upper dining area every night - he said they were brought back because the table servers were run off their feet.  

 

We returned home a day later than planned due to a snow storm in Toronto; we were able to get out before it totally socked in, and were routed to Calgary where we got a hotel by the airport for about 4 hours sleep, then back home yesterday.  Sochi was a chatterbox from the moment we walked through the door until we put her to bed last night.  I'm pretty sure she'll be attached to me like velcro for the next few days.  LOL

 

After all that wonderful cruise food, it's hard to even think about cooking, but of course it's Friday, so I get the night off.  We'll check the online menus to see what appeals to us and enjoy pizza at the kitchen table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers to all who are in need, Woo Hoo to all who are celebrating.  It feels good to be back here.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

Welcome back! 

[kazu]

Thanks for our Daily, Roy and glad to see you back.  Hope you're feeling better and continue to improve 🤞

 

i’ll pass on the days and instead honour Holocaust day.  Mat we never forget!

 

Love today’s quote and the wine sounds good 👍 

 

Looks like it will be another call to the Bone Clinic.  If this pain is ok, I need better pain killers and I have a high pain tolerance.  At least I got something done yesterday and  let my roll calls know & started the work to get my tours and activities taken over.  Depressing task.

 

 

34 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

All seems well at the DS and DDIL. Fingers crossed it stays that way and we fly out on Sunday. 

 

Good news!  Hoping all goes well.

 

34 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

 

When I am feeling down about my last year I think of the Ukrainians and what they are going through and I try to remember the blessings I have.  

 

What a great attitude you have.

 

34 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

When I was moving in September I found a clock that someone made for my DH that had headlines from the day he was born and one of the stories was Russian invading Ukraine. He was born in October of 1947.

 

Amazing.  My DD DH was born in November 1947.

 

1 hour ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Also our neighborhood was notified yesterday that our neighbor Rudy (one of the original homeowners on this street) had a heart attack Tuesday night.  I emailed his wife and expressed our warm thoughts and prayers for Rudy and she said he will have bypass surgery today at an Atlanta hospital so please add him and his surgical staff to your prayers today. 

 

Sorry to hear this.  My prayers are winging his way 🙏🏻 

 

@ger_77welcome home!

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list and for those that need them and cheers to those celebrating.

 

 

Have a great Friday everyone!!!

[StLouisCruisers]

5 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I love chocolate cake, never had to punch a clock, and worked with a few who thought they were big wigs.  LOL

 

It's good to be back - I pretty much disconnected from electronics for the past 3+ weeks.  The only thing I'd do onboard is check in on FB every morning, post a photo of my door sign, and put the iPad away.  There was more than enough to do on the ship and on shore to keep me happy.

 

I had the opportunity to meet and visit with the lovely Joy @Seasick Sailor and her sweet DH Allan.  I wish we had more time with them, but we were traveling with friends who hadn't been to most of the places, so our time was limited.

 

I know today is also Holocaust Survivors Day, so will include them and all who experienced that horrible episode in our history in my prayers.  

 

I can see I have a lot of catch-up reading to do; there seems to have been a lot of things I've missed here on the Daily.  To everyone who has had a birthday or anniversary, I send you my cheers; to all who have had losses in their lives, please know my heart is with you.

 

Oh, some news that might make a few of my CC friends happy:  The Rotterdam has drink runners!!!   We had the most entertaining sweet guy (Anthony) deliver our drinks on the upper dining area every night - he said they were brought back because the table servers were run off their feet.  

 

We returned home a day later than planned due to a snow storm in Toronto; we were able to get out before it totally socked in, and were routed to Calgary where we got a hotel by the airport for about 4 hours sleep, then back home yesterday.  Sochi was a chatterbox from the moment we walked through the door until we put her to bed last night.  I'm pretty sure she'll be attached to me like velcro for the next few days.  LOL

 

After all that wonderful cruise food, it's hard to even think about cooking, but of course it's Friday, so I get the night off.  We'll check the online menus to see what appeals to us and enjoy pizza at the kitchen table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers to all who are in need, Woo Hoo to all who are celebrating.  It feels good to be back here.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

Gerry

 

Gerry, we missed you!  Welcome home.  I would love to run into you and Joy plus your DH's on a cruise someday!  So happy to hear the drink runners are back.🥂

 

[AncientWanderer]

Great photo @ger_77.  Welcome home!

[dfish]

Good morning, everyone.  

 

Welcome back @ger_77 Gerry and DH!  Glad you had a great time.

@kazu I'm sorry the pain continues. 

@marshhawk I'm glad you got in with a new doctor.  I hope all went well at your appointment.  Such sad news about Fawn.  

 

All the trim work is done on my latest painting project.  Today I'll do the walls and be done.  I ordered new curtains as the ones left behind by Previous Owner are really awful.  Then, I am moving on to the bathroom!

 

The origin of falafel is controversial. The dish most likely originated in Egypt. There is a legend that a fava bean version was eaten by Coptic Christians in the Roman era as early as the 4th century during Lent, but there is no documented evidence for this. It has been speculated that its history may go back to Pharaonic Egypt. However, the earliest written references to falafel from Egyptian sources date to the 19th century, and oil was probably too expensive to use for deep frying in ancient Egypt.

As Alexandria is a port city, it was possible to export the dish and its name to other areas in the Middle East. The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, Iraq and Bahrain, where chickpeas replaced the fava beans.

 

This first recipe uses a chickpea base for the falafel.   https://thefitchen.com/falafel-stuffed-peppers-2/

 

 

This one uses a prepared falafel for stuffing the peppers.  The sauce sounds really interesting.   

https://www.cauldronfoods.co.uk/recipes/falafel-stuffed-peppers

 

 

And this one has pickled onions with it.  http://www.thelovelycrazy.com/blog/2019/9/17/falafel-stuffed-peppers

 

 

This one sounds interesting with the artichokes included.   https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/recipes/artichoke-falafel-stuffed-peppers/

 

 

I hope one of these piques your interest.  If not, use your trusted stuffed pepper recipe and enjoy!

 

Wishing you all a wonderful day.  Prayers for those who are ailing and cheers to those who are celebrating.