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

[kochleffel]

As Graham posted early today on yesterday's Daily, today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was established by the United Nations in 2005. Israel introduced the resolution but observes Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah, "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day," as a legal holiday in the spring.

 

Some countries observe yet other dates. For example, France marks July 16, the anniversary of the mass arrest of Jews in Paris, and Latvia marks July 4, the anniversary of the burning of the Great Choral Synagogue in Riga.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aliaschief]

Good morning! A crisp 35 degrees this morning with a forecasted high of 55F. Time to start preparing for our trip to Cancun next Tuesday. Two weeks of doing nothing but basking by the pool or taking dips in the Caribbean Sea sound very inviting this morning.

Continued thoughts prayers and concerns for several of our Daily regulars and praises for the many of us who have no major issues.

Time for another coffee and enjoying the fact I no longer have to punch the time clock. My TGIF celebration is thanking God I woke up on this side of the now not so green grass!

[dfish]

2 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

As Graham posted early today on yesterday's Daily, today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It was established by the United Nations in 2005. Israel introduced the resolution but observes Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah, "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day," as a legal holiday in the spring.

 

Some countries observe yet other dates. For example, France marks July 16, the anniversary of the mass arrest of Jews in Paris, and Latvia marks July 4, the anniversary of the burning of the Great Choral Synagogue in Riga.

 

Such an important remembrance for all of us.  The last my great grandmother heard of her brother was that he was seen being forced into the back of a truck by soldiers with rifles.  

[ger_77]

Too late to edit my previous post, but I wanted to add that Rotterdam VII has an actual library!!!  It's self-serve, with about 10 chairs (which were always occupied), with a small, but varied selection of books.  I always like to read at the end of the day, so I went through 3 novels during our time on the ship.   It also has a section where guests can leave a book for others to enjoy when they are finished with them.  

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from a sunny but cold central Texas.  It is currently 35F, and hopefully, we'll reach the predicted high of 63F.  If the predictions are correct, and that can be a big IF, a cold front will come through Sunday or Monday bringing with it lows down to 27F, highs of low 40sF and rain from Sunday night through Thursday.  Currently, there does not seem to be any wind, but there will be later.

 

Chocolate cake is one of my favorites, but the mixes I have are white cake or German chocolate cake.  I guess I'll be making a German chocolate cake today.  When I was a temporary switchboard operator in the 1970s, I punched a time clock.  When I was working it seemed that many of the big wigs thought they were bigger than they were.

 

Mahatma Gandhi's quote is very true.

 

We'll pass on the meal, but may have stuffed peppers in a few days.  We'll also pass on the drink and the wine.

 

We have not been to Hualien, Taiwan -- yet.  I'm looking forward to any pictures anyone wants to share. 

 

@rafinmd  Roy, I'm glad you are feeling well enough this morning to start the Fleet/Daily.

@marshhawk  Annie, I'm sorry Fawn is still acting strange.  I couldn't help wondering if she has feline dementia.  I hope the new doctor is a good fit and the appointment goes well.  From what you have said in the past, any doctor will be better than Dr. Awful.

@StLouisCruisers  Sandi, I hope Rudy is comfortable and the surgery Monday goes well.

@cruising sister  It is good news that all at DS and DDIL's are well.

@AncientWanderer  Congratulations on your nephew getting his Canadian passport.

@ger_77  Gerry, welcome home.  Thanks for the great picture of you, Joy and Allen.  That is good news about the drink runners.  I think last spring on the Koningsdam, they had runners to get the drinks and wine bottles.  At least, HAL is realizing some cutbacks went too far.  Maybe we'll see wine stewards again, and there were a few on Kdam last spring.  

@kazu  Jacqui, I'm sorry your arm and elbow are still so painful.  I hope you get some help today.

@dfish  Debbie, it sounds like the painting project is going well.  Enjoy your "new" room.   It must have been hard for your grandmother to not know what happened to her brother.

@kochleffel  Thanks for the information about Holocaust Remembrance Day.  The Holocaust should never be forgotten, and it's hard to believe that there are some who do not think it happened.  Just looking at the survivors should erase any doubts.

 

Lenda

 

[*Miss G*]

Good morning.  It is a sunny day — not a cloud in the sky — and the birds are having a blast.  Makes you glad to be alive.  ☀️ 

 

I will never be a vegetarian and I will never eat falawful again. 🤮 I will also never go to China, so no pics from me.

 

Welcome back @ger_77!  We have certainly missed your posts. 

 

@rafinmd, every cold or virus I have ever had has a cyclical component to it.  One minute I’m thinking “Oh good; I’m getting better!” and the next moment I’m thinking “Kill me now.”  My husband and I had whatever is going around a couple of weeks ago.  One minute, stuffed up, coughing, violently ill, the next minute, thinking it’s okay to eat.  (It wasn’t.)  Not covid.  We both lost weight so it turned out well in the end.  😂

 

As for me, I am celebrating some time alone!  🕺 I get to eat what I want (not falawful) when I want it.  It’s like a little mini holiday!  🏖

[kochleffel]

OK, is it Big Wig Day (to give the appearance of "big hair") or Bigwig Day? I don't think that I want to celebrate either. I'd rather have falafel in a pita than in a pepper, but it's a bit difficult to make good falafel: often they are either burned on the outside or raw on the inside. I haven't been to Taiwan.

 

I'm co-officiating at services in the synagogue tonight, and then the lead officiant tomorrow morning. We sing almost everything that can be sung, and the lead officiant tonight is a much better singer than I am; my role appears to be that of mascot. In the morning, I'm planning to sing the Hebrew of Psalm 148 to the tune of "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore." After that someone else will sing Psalm 150 in Hebrew, possibly to the tune of Leonard Cohen's "Halleluyah," although there are many other settings for it.

 

[Cruzin Terri]

Good morning to all,

I resolving to try to post every day before I get busy.

I got a lot of paperwork done yesterday and have more to do today.  Hope to finish this morning.

Then I have a few boxes to tackle.  The contractor has agreed to put up all the brackets for our curtains/window treatments that were taken down during the painting.  Plus mirrors and pictures.  Big job for us, but not so for him and his crew.  Big relief for us.

I admit, I did not find the time to read all the posts of the past week or so.  I will try to catch up.  It will take a while.  Maybe when I am on the cruise.

@smitty34877just the mention of Greenwich Village put a smile on my face.  Oh, how I miss New York.  Having lived in the Village for part of my life, it brings back many fond memories. While living in the South has its benefits, there is no place like New York.

@rafinmdthank you for the lists and I hope you are feeling better.

@grapau27I did see where Sarah had her injections.  Hope she is doing well.

@Seasick Sailor and @ger_77how nice that you were able to meet and spend some time together on your cruise.

@kazu Hope your arm is healing.  Sorry you had to have a second surgery.

Prayers to all who are remembering loved ones on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Prayers for all on this list, whether you need them or not.

God Bless,

Terri

[*Miss G*]

14 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

 

@AncientWanderer  Congratulations on your nephew getting his Canadian passport.

 

I had to scroll back to see that post!  Kind of drives me a little bit crazy when they don’t appear because it happens pretty regularly.  Congratulations to @AncientWanderer nephew!

 

@marshhawk, perhaps you have hurt their feelings?  I know my cat got pretty offended at me and my cousin way back when.  Maybe they all made a pact to ostracize you?  😂

[kochleffel]

11 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

it's hard to believe that there are some who do not think it happened.  Just looking at the survivors should erase any doubts.

 Soon there will be no survivors left to speak.

 

Have you seen the film Denial? It's based on Deborah Lipstadt's book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier, an account of defending a British libel suit after she called David Irving a Holocaust denier. Survivors wanted to testify in the trial, but British lawyers advised Lipstadt against that, believing that there was a defense more likely to succeed.

 

She won the case, with the result that there is a court decision affirming that the Holocaust occurred. The judge's opinion (it was a bench trial) states, "Having considered the various arguments advanced by Irving to assail the effect of the convergent evidence relied upon by the Defendants, it is my conclusion that no objective, fair-minded historian would have serious cause to doubt that there were gas chambers at Auschwitz and that they were operated on a substantial scale to kill hundreds of thousands of Jews."

 

 

[iluvthe-c]

Good morning.  New to HAL and new to (and appreciative of) the Daily Fleet Reports.  Are all the daily meal, cocktail, and wine recommendations available on HAL ships?  

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning Everyone, it was an early start to the day.  I took DH for his colonoscopy and we returned a short bit ago.  They found two polyps and they removed them.  He will get the results in about two weeks.  I made him a light breakfast as soon as we got home.  We will see how he feels around lunch time and might go out for a very early dinner.  I’m not sure if I should feel guilty for not punching the clock today. I took a full sick day to take care of today’s visit.  

I hope everyone has a good day today.
 

I could go for a slice of chocolate cake any day.

[smitty34877]

27 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good morning to all,

I resolving to try to post every day before I get busy.

I got a lot of paperwork done yesterday and have more to do today.  Hope to finish this morning.

Then I have a few boxes to tackle.  The contractor has agreed to put up all the brackets for our curtains/window treatments that were taken down during the painting.  Plus mirrors and pictures.  Big job for us, but not so for him and his crew.  Big relief for us.

I admit, I did not find the time to read all the posts of the past week or so.  I will try to catch up.  It will take a while.  Maybe when I am on the cruise.

@smitty34877just the mention of Greenwich Village put a smile on my face.  Oh, how I miss New York.  Having lived in the Village for part of my life, it brings back many fond memories. While living in the South has its benefits, there is no place like New York.

@rafinmdthank you for the lists and I hope you are feeling better.

@grapau27I did see where Sarah had her injections.  Hope she is doing well.

@Seasick Sailor and @ger_77how nice that you were able to meet and spend some time together on your cruise.

@kazu Hope your arm is healing.  Sorry you had to have a second surgery.

Prayers to all who are remembering loved ones on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Prayers for all on this list, whether you need them or not.

God Bless,

Terri

I drove down the West Side Highway last week  and had tears in my eyes just looking at all the familiar  buildings! I guess will have to ignore the fact that my Yonkers got voted the tenth Dirtiest City  in the US.It is hideous in places,they are correct.... 

 

[puppycanducruise]

@AncientWandererCongratulations to your nephew for getting his Canadian passport.  Welcome to the family.

 

@ger_77Love the picture.  Welcome back.

 

@iluvthe-cWelcome to the Daily.

[RMLincoln]

Thank you Roy, and hoping for improvement for you, and for Sarah, and for Jacqui, and all the others in need of healing and hope.  Hope we hear from Kathi soon!  

Smooth and healthy cruising to all aboard! Love to hear about new places, and remember old places!  
 

Good Sabbath to those celebrating tonight.  I remember when I was a little girl in Brooklyn, maybe 5 years old, asking my mother about the numbers marked on some of the neighbor ladies’ arms. She didn’t explain too much, just that they were prisoners in the war. As I grew up a bit so did my dawning of the horrors of the world. Blessings today to the Ukrainians. Hope the tanks make a difference very soon. 
 

And blessings to all celebrating milestones and events. Life is good!  
 

I have a Zoom soon to learn about a retirement community we may move to for our “next chapter”. Then to a church group of ladies who do Spiritual Companioning together monthly. 
Thanks all for being here!  Love this connection!  m—

[TiogaCruiser]

Good morning all,

We have a brisk morning with lots of sunshine. The Santa Ana winds of yesterday have died down. News yesterday reported gusts to 80mph in the west valley area. Locally the gusts were strong, but not nearly to that level and it was more typical for a Santa Ana. 
 

I’ll celebrate chocolate cake. I have a wig I wear with my 1750s gowns, but not a big one. My first job was at an answering service, where each of us had a board of about 70 lines. It was the common plugs, and it was intense. We sat elbow to elbow in a very small hallway about 8’ x 18’ (about 10 of us) and answered phones that constantly rang. I was the only non-smoker and I wreaked of smoke even after a shower. I quit after 2 weeks, and had to threaten to report them to the labor board to get paid some 12 weeks later.

@kazu Hope you get answers and relief from your pain soon.

 

@ottahand7 I’m intrigued on this - what is the “seaweed” thing over the food?

 

Have a great day everyone!

[kochleffel]

12 minutes ago, RMLincoln said:

asking my mother about the numbers marked on some of the neighbor ladies’ arms. She didn’t explain too much

 

Here's Joe Crookston's song about a survivor's explaining, or not explaining, to her daughter. It's drawn from an interview with a survivor in my community.

 

[Cruising-along]

Good morning all!

You had me at chocolate cake. It's the only kind of cake I'll eat.   I won't be having any today though because we just finished the DElicious mini chocolate cake DH brought me 2 days ago for my birthday.  Best of all, it was chocolate frosting and chocolate cake. It required extra time on the treadmill but was worth it!!   Haven't punched a clock in many years, and never had a big wig.  I'm guessing it's of the hair variety because it's 2 words and not one...🤷‍♀️

 

Love the quote, would try the drink and wine, but pass on the meal and stick to my own stuffed peppers.  Never have been to China.

 

Yesterday I bundled up and got out into the yard to do some garden cleanup.  It felt good (but cold) to get out there and see signs of spring.  The crocus and other bulbs are peeking out and the hellebore is blooming.  When I was out I saw my neighbor who came home to bring a few items home -- she'll be able to move back into her house this weekend.  It's been 3 months since the tree came through her roof -- a long time.  Once the workers could get started it took only 6 weeks to get everything done, but the insurance company dragged its feet the first month.

 

Today is our DD's 44th birthday, and also their next-to-last day in Thailand. If the flights are on time they should be home early Sunday morning.   It will be good to have them home, but they've had an amazing time!

 

Roy @rafinmdgood to see that you're feeling better this morning!

Gerry @ger_77Welcome back!  I guess I didn't get enough sleep, at first I read "drunk runners" instead of "drink runners"  😂

Annie @marshhawk That's sad about Fawn...I wonder too if it's some kind of kitty dementia.  Or could she possibly be diabetic?  My buddy cat Jinx who passed away last month was diabetic and sadly would get very confused when his blood sugar was low.

Welcome to the Daily @rothburyand @iluvthe-c!

 

 

[Rowsby]

15 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I have a wig I wear with my 1750s gowns, but not a big one.

@kazu Hope you get answers and relief from your pain soon.

 

@ottahand7 I’m intrigued on this - what is the “seaweed” thing over the food?

 

 

 

Glad you asked....I'm curious about the "seaweed" thing too....!!

 

And now....we definitely need a picture of your 1750's gown and wig.....:)

[smitty34877]

16 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

Here's Joe Crookston's song about a survivor's explaining, or not explaining, to her daughter. It's drawn from an interview with a survivor in my community.

 

Family members told us that our patients didn’t talk about their experiences very much,at least to them. Most of our patients were experiencing dementia and perhaps their defenses were down. Seeing tattooed numbers on an elderly person’s arm was just so horrifying for me. 
Thank you for the song clip.

[richwmn]

37 minutes ago, iluvthe-c said:

Good morning.  New to HAL and new to (and appreciative of) the Daily Fleet Reports.  Are all the daily meal, cocktail, and wine recommendations available on HAL ships?  

All of the cocktails are pretty standard and should be available on HAL ships, as well as your local bar/pub, if the bartender wants to pick up the guide many bars have. About half the wines came from the wine lists currently on Zuiderdam, the others probably are not available. Some of the meals may be available, but they were not chosen from any HAL source.

 

[durangoscots]

Good morning.  The chocolate cake sounds wonderful, but I had better give it a pass. Still cold here with a high predicted of 28F and it was 6 when the little dogs and I went out for our morning walk. We are very limited in our walking area as the snow and ice are still around and block progress... we just circle round and round the driveway and parking area. I hope Monday's weather gives us a miss. Just paid off the snow plow . I try to keep up because I know some of his other jobs hold off payment until the end of the season despite his billing them weekly ... but he and his family need to eat.

 

@kazuI really hope that something can be done to make you more comfortable and lessen the pain. And hoping that Tana, Sarah and Kathi  and others with health issues are doing well- and that includes the furry ones like Fawn. Sounds like she is pretty uncomfortable. Colds and flu are going around here and I am just staying away from crowds as much as possible. I have a coffee cup with the Grinch on it saying "Today I am only talking to my dog". But I may spring for a carryout order  from Applebees tonight.... I am really tired of my own cooking.

 

When I worked at Johns Hopkins University Library in the late 1950's we had a number of Holocaust survivors among our staff. They did not talk much about their experiences, but one did have one positive incident. One staff member had been a teenager and had been sheltered by neighbors when her parents were taken away while she was not at home.  She later came with those people to the U.S.  and had been here a number of years and was working at Hopkins when she found out that her parents had survived and had just arrived in New York!!!  Speak about a happy reunion. She went straight from work to the train to go to New York... did not even stop to pack a bag.

 

Susan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rafinmd]

I will pretty much pass on the days but commemorate Holocast Day, let us never forget.  I punched a time clock in my college cafeteria but at my office most of the time I was on a fixed shift and did not.   The last several years we had "flextime" where we could go in anytime between 6:30 and 9:30 and work 6-10 hours each day, and signed a paper sheet.  If it was less than 40 hours a week we took leave and got the excess over 40 as "credit hours" which we could use to extend our vacation.  I made use of that for some long vacations.  I'll pass on the wigs and only eat chocolate in mint form.  I love the Gandhi quote but have never been to Taiwan.  I believe the 2017 Grand Asia was originally supposed to go there but mainland China had a fit.,  And @iluvthe-c most of my alternative menu suggestions come from HAL but there have been changes over the years.  In particular, we almost never see the chilled fruit soups any more.  I'll pass on today;s suggestion.  My alternative is Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho, Orange and Avacado Carousel, and Boston Lager Strip Loin Steak as servved on MS Maasdam January 27, 2015.

 

I think I'm a bit better but it seems to be steps forward and steps backward.  I took about 1/3 of my normal walk yesterday and half of my normal today.

 

Today’s care list:

Ominous scan for Marshhawk
HAL Sailer DBIL in final days and family squabbles
RIP Patricia 1/23/23
California shooting victims
Recovery for Sarah
Kazu with continuing pain
StLouisCruisers friend Rudy awaiting
From the rotation:
Rowsby in need of shoulder replacement
Status of Scrapnana
Marshhawk DH eye issues.
Status of St. Louis Sal (7/1) and JAM37 (7/7)

 

Celebrations and Shoutouts:

Welcome aboard oluvthe-c and rothbury
Welcome home ger_77
Redneck Bob in Vegas until 2/1
cruszn single in Hawaii until 1/31
Heartgrove (Carnival Legend to 1/29), DeniEncinetas, and sailingdutchty   (Koningsdam  to 1/31),  lindaler and ottahand7(Volendam  to 3/18), and Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty,richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam  to 5/12) at sea

Roy

 

[grapau27]

51 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Good morning all!

You had me at chocolate cake. It's the only kind of cake I'll eat.   I won't be having any today though because we just finished the DElicious mini chocolate cake DH brought me 2 days ago for my birthday.  Best of all, it was chocolate frosting and chocolate cake. It required extra time on the treadmill but was worth it!!   Haven't punched a clock in many years, and never had a big wig.  I'm guessing it's of the hair variety because it's 2 words and not one...🤷‍♀️

 

Love the quote, would try the drink and wine, but pass on the meal and stick to my own stuffed peppers.  Never have been to China.

 

Yesterday I bundled up and got out into the yard to do some garden cleanup.  It felt good (but cold) to get out there and see signs of spring.  The crocus and other bulbs are peeking out and the hellebore is blooming.  When I was out I saw my neighbor who came home to bring a few items home -- she'll be able to move back into her house this weekend.  It's been 3 months since the tree came through her roof -- a long time.  Once the workers could get started it took only 6 weeks to get everything done, but the insurance company dragged its feet the first month.

 

Today is our DD's 44th birthday, and also their next-to-last day in Thailand. If the flights are on time they should be home early Sunday morning.   It will be good to have them home, but they've had an amazing time!

 

Roy @rafinmdgood to see that you're feeling better this morning!

Gerry @ger_77Welcome back!  I guess I didn't get enough sleep, at first I read "drunk runners" instead of "drink runners"  😂

Annie @marshhawk That's sad about Fawn...I wonder too if it's some kind of kitty dementia.  Or could she possibly be diabetic?  My buddy cat Jinx who passed away last month was diabetic and sadly would get very confused when his blood sugar was low.

Welcome to the Daily @rothburyand @iluvthe-c!

 

 

Happy 44th birthday to your dear daughter.

[JazzyV]

Good morning. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily @richwmn and @rafinmd.

I do like chocolate cake, never had to punch a clock, and wigs are important for cancer patients. Also it is International Holocaust Remembrance Day and we should never forget that horror. I visited Dachau in 2014 and it was a moving experience. A great Ghandi quote. The meal looks interesting. Pass on the drink and wine.

I haven't been to Hualien.

 

It's 29F and cloudy today, with the occasional snow shower. No plans for today, so far.

 

@rafinmd Thanks for starting us up and our lists. I hope you continue to feel better every day.

@marshhawk I hope you like your new doctor. Sorry Fawn is still not herself.

@StLouisCruisers Prayers for your neighbor Rudy and his medical team. 

@cruising sister Good to hear the family is feeling well. 

@AncientWanderer Congrats to your nephew on getting the passport.

@ger_77 Welcome back! Great photo. You were missed.

@kazu Sorry to hear you're still in pain. 

@dfish Good going on the painting. 

@Cruzin Terri That's very helpful to have the contractor put up all the window brackets, mirrors and pictures. 

@kochleffel Thank you for all the information.

@iluvthe-c Welcome to the Daily! 

@Cruising-along Good to hear that your neighbor will be moving back into her home after all this time. Happy Birthday to your DD! 

@durangoscots That is a wonderful story about the staff member reuniting with her parents!

 

Prayers for the Care List and Cheers for the Celebration List.

Stay well everyone.