The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday April 23rd, 2023

[StLouisCruisers]

Today is Lover's Day, National English Muffin Day, and National Picnic Day
 

The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around. - Thomas A. Edison

Meal Suggestion for today - Spinach Artichoke Mac & Cheese
Drink of the Day - Harbor Punch
Wine of the Day - Giesen Pinot Noir Marlborough Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin 2019
Destination of the Day - Alotau, Papua New Guinea

Today in History:
1968 1st decimal coins issued in Britain (5 & 10 new pence, replacing shilling and two-shilling pieces)

Ship Locations
 

Eurodam

At Sea Destination San Diego, California eta 4-24
 

Koningsdam

Hilo, Hawaii Island 08:00 Arrive
 

Nieuw Amsterdam

At Sea Destination Cabo San Lucas, Mexico eta 4-24 
 

Nieuw Statendam

Villefranche-sur-Mer, Nice, France Riviera 11:00 - 22:00
 

Noordam

Honolulu, Oahu Island, Hawaii 07:00 Arrive

 

Oosterdam

At Sea Destination Civitavecchia-Rome, Italy eta 4-24
 

Rotterdam

At Sea Destination Amsterdam, Holland eta 4-24 
 

Volendam

At Sea Destination Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica eta 4-24 
 

Zaandam

Portland, Maine 07:00 - 13:00
 

Zuiderdam

Kristiansand, Norway 08:00 - 17:00

Eastern Hemisphere
 

Westerdam

Yokohama, Japan 0630-1900

 

 

 

Sandi for Rich

[portofrome]

Thank you for the Fleet Report.

[grapau27]

Thank you to father David for today's sermon.

It is in 2 parts.

Graham.

[grapau27]

Thank you for today's daily reports Sandi @StLouisCruisers.

Muffin day and picnic day suits us as does lovers day.

Excellent quote.

I will give the food a miss but nice wine today.

Prayers for good health to everyone.

Just spoke to Father David outside church and he is flattered by all the nice things some of our dailyites say about him.

He is on a pilgrimage for the next 3 week's walking from Barcelona to Rome.

Graham.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by grapau27

[StLouisCruisers]

Good morning friends!  I was awake early so decided to just go ahead and get started on the Fleet Report and Daily,  It's Sunday so back to bed after I post.  The weather here is 46F, and it should be a sunny day and 71 degrees for the high.  Thanks to Rich @richwmn for the content today and for the interesting day in history addition.  

 

Today we will celebrate Lover's Day, National English Muffin Day, and National Picnic Day.  If you have a special person in your life that makes your heart skip a beat, show your appreciation for them.  I know I have mine!  English Muffins are a good start to a breakfast sandwich.  Add some egg and sausage and voila!  You don't even have to go to McD's!  And while you're at it you can pack it up and go out and have a picnic.  Or better yet, wait until lunch and take your meal outside.  

 

There's a fun visual with Thomas Edison's quote!  I picture us carrying our brains around in a handbasket.  The menu suggestion is okay I guess, the drink is called Harbor Punch, and the wine a pinot noir.  I think I can pass on all of them which will leave more for you.  Thanks to the ladies, Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for their input on those items.👏

 

Prayers for our Care list people.  May everyone have better days ahead and our condolences to those who lost their loved ones recently. 🙏  And to all on the Celebration list, enjoy your happiness and smooth seas to all our cruisers!  🚢🥂  Congrats to the Michigan Jaguars U16 team on their win in Minnesota yesterday 3 to 1 and our boy Ren scored one goal.  He had a cleat applied to the back of his foot and limped a bit, but is fine.  He didn't play until the end of the game.  The weather was about 34 degrees with a brisk wind and everyone was standing on the sidelines shivering!  Today they play in Madison, Wisconsin and if they're lucky it will be 10 degrees warmer.  Good luck to the team and I hope I can say tomorrow they're on the Celebration list. 🎉⚽

 

I believe we have two birthday girls today!  I want to wish Annie @marshhawk and Charlene @cunnorl very happy birthdays today!!  Many happy returns!🎂🎈

 

Our port of the day is a new one, Alotau, Papua New Guinea.  That means no link to a prior date and no copy and pasting of photos.  I get to stay up longer and post the photos for the first time.  Yay!!  I hope some others will join me in finding photos of their visit there too. 

 

Here we go on Alotau, PNG.  In 2017 we flew to Sydney and began 4 cruises on Sun Princess.  The first was a circumnavigation and it included a jaunt over to PNG to Alotau.  Then the third cruise was mostly Papua New Guinea so we visited that port again two weeks later.  This is a very poor town so don't expect the Ritz when you go there.  We did see what they call an International hotel which I will show a photo of from the street.  It had a big fence around it so we didn't try to get in.  The view from the ship. 

 

Locals dressed up and danced for our arrival.

 

 

There was actually a bus outside the ship but we didn't have a tour and like most others just walked to see the town.

 

 

This must have been the local Walmart.

 

I have no idea what this was.

 

Homes on the hillside behind us.  I would worry about landslides.

 

We stopped here to see the War Memorial.

 

It's called the Milne Bay Memorial.

 

Everybody in town seemed very busy trying to sell their goods while the ship was in town.  

 

 

 

The kids were all dressed up in their native costumes looking for photo opportunities.

 

We kept walking.  Uh oh!  Road work ahead!

 

 

Right by the supermarket.  We didn't go in.

 

Ahh!  Here's the Alotau International Hotel at Milne Bay.  I wonder what the online photos looked like.

 

 

By now we were probably drenched in sweat so headed back to the ship.

 

We walked by this open air market and looked inside but didn't buy anything.

 

The flag of PNG.

 

Sailaway and a sunset.

 

 

It was Halloween and the waiters at dinner were dressed up as ghouls (or whatever they wanted to).  And the ship was decorated with many carved pumpkins.  

 

Well, that's all for Alotau.  I'd forgotten how much work it is to prepare all these photos, but I hope you enjoyed it.

 

Hoping all of you have a very special Sunday!  Stay safe and well.

 

 

[ocean sounds]

Thanks for the Daily and fleet report, and the port photos, @StLouisCruisers.   Seeing the many carved pumpkins 🎃 on the ship made me smile. 
 

Thanks for the sermons, @grapau27. 
 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday!   Prayers for all in need, cheers and smiles for those with good news. 
 

PS:  @portofrome, it’s always nice to see you post!  Makes me wish I were there! 
 

Edited April 23, 2023 by ocean sounds

[puppycanducruise]

Good morning.  Thanks for the Daily and Fleet Report.

 

Another cloudy day here, we may have showers later today.

 

An interesting collection of days.  I think Lover's Day is everyday, but then, I'm very lucky to have a special person in my life.  I like English muffins, but my sweetie makes pancakes for breakfast on Sunday.  It's too cool and wet for a picnic outside today, so we'll celebrate picnic day some other day.

An interesting quote from an interesting person. 

I'll pass on the meal, not sure about the drink and hope the wine is tasty and not expensive.

Thanks for the pictures of today's port.  And congrats to Ren for scoring a goal.

Thank you for Father David's sermon Graham. 

 

Prayers for everyone.  Cheers for all the celebrations.

@marshhawk Happy Birthday! 🎂

@cunnorl  Happy Birthday! 🎂

 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

[superoma]

April 23 Care and celebrations

 

Roy recovering from pneumonia and getting stronger

Smitty34877’s DH’s GI surgery

Dobiemom’s sleeping issues

Grapau27 needing hip surgery for arthritis

Jodiesme1 mother and Her DH with Covid in Guatemala 

Too many shooting victims

Marshhawk’s dh with continuing nose issues 

Mamaofami’s dh with pneumonia 

Oxygen supply issues for Tana

Dame Edna passing R.I.P dear possum

Citizens of Ukraine

From the rotation:

 

Status of St. Louis Sal(6/29/22) and JAM37 (6/20/22)

Status of irishjim (10/31/22)

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

Tanya’s pulmonary issues

 

 

Celebrations

Rafinmd’s good report from the Oncologist, Podiatrist and Pulmonologist

Marshhawk getting COPD med samples

Vict0riann’s week in Ireland

CruzinTerri celebrating that contractor is done and paid

Dobiemom’s good report from after surgery checkup 

New refrigerator for cat shepherd 

Ger_77 good visit with friends

Good room assignment for HAL4NOW

RMLincoln safely at home

Cheers for ladyHudson’s excellent diet results

marshhawk happy birthday

cunnorl happy birthday

 

Welcome home GTVCRUISER

 

 

Many Dailyites cruising or with upcoming cruises

 

Bon voyage Lady Hudson (Anthem of the Seas 4/23 to 5/1)

 7 days Lobsternight anniversary cruise and vow renewal (Nieuw Amsterdam 4/30 to 5/7)

 

 

 Cruising

 

aliaschief & DWAliaschief (Eurodam to 4/28) 

Kplady (Grand Princess to 4/28), 

Sailingdutchy (Rotterdam to 4/29), 

Oceansaway17 (Vision of the Seas to 5/1)

St Pete Cruiser (Noordam to 5/2), 

TiogaCruiser (Volendam to 5/2), 

Overhead Fred’s Anniversary cruise (Rotterdam to 5/6), AV8rix (Volendam to 5/6), 

Dismomx5 (Volendam to 5/6), 

USN59-79 (Westerdam to 5/7), 

Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12), 

Sharon in AZ (Volendam to 5/17) at sea

Jazzyv cruise (celebrity apex) and vacation to 5/28

Edited April 23, 2023 by superoma
Oops on birthdays

[cat shepard]

Thank you Sandi & Rich for today’s R & D! Love the official addition of the “Today in History” feature. 
 

Eva, thank you for taking care of our Cares & Celebrations!
Another lovely morning here after a night of wild T-storms. The local deer herd just wandered by. The fawns are just so adorable.  Just gym, Aldi, Bindi walks, a yard project and getting my next AmVet donation ready for their pick up this week. 
 

Yesterday’s block party was so much fun. Lots of catching up and enjoying a beautiful afternoon with wonderful neighbors. 
 

My favorite vegetable…

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone. 

 

**********

Giesen Pinot Noir Marlborough Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin 2019

This is another elusive New Zealand wine. But I lucked out in finding a distributor t

who not only provided great info, but also ships worldwide.  This wine sounds amazing, I prefer full bodied Pinot Noirs. Our New Zealand Dailyite might find it for a lower price, but the distributor who ships to me offers it for $52.99 + shipping. 

Distributor notes

 

Double Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2022

---

From the famous Clayvin vineyard, a living tribute to Marlborough’s viticultural history, comes this outstanding Pinot Noir. Established in 1993, Clayvin Vineyard was Marlborough’s first significant hillside vineyard. It is North facing, has high density planting and is farmed organically. It is world renown for producing some of New Zealand's very best Pinot Noir. This is one of them.

---

Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"The journey of each Single Vineyard wine starts in a Marlborough vineyard selected for its unique terroir and climate. They are then nurtured with meticulous hands-on viticulture to ensure fruit produces highly concentrated flavour. Our winemaking expertise then allows these wines to speak for themselves, their purity becoming a showcase of the land.

Established in 1993, Clayvin Vineyard was Marlborough’s first significant hillside vineyard. North facing, the vineyard planting is high density. This density creates natural competition among the vines, reducing vigour, promoting root structure and intensity of flavour. It also means that the vineyard only produces ‘one bottle of Clayvin Pinot Noir per vine’.

This Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir is earthy, with wild strawberry and red cherry. It’s restrained with good intensity and a structured foundation, finishing with great length. World renowned vineyard ‘Clayvin’ has historically set the standard for premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production from Marlborough."

---

Rated Excellent, 5 Stars & 95/100 NZ Wine Rater, August 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Intense, youthful, attractive, fruit-driven bouquet with a sweet lift of sour cherry, lavender, dark chocolate, toasted vanilla pod, liquorice and charry oak. Full-bodied, bright, ripe, concentrated and juicy with well-structured, complex tannins and a spicy, energized finish."

---

94/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, December 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"An attractive fragrant aroma features floral/red rose/violet with cherry, struck flint, raspberry and mixed spice flavours on the palate. The wine is supported by ripe tannins and gentle acidity. Accessible now but with plenty of cellaring potential."

---

Reviews for previous vintages below…

---

5 Stars & 97/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, March 2020 (2017 Vintage)
"Exhibiting awesome power and grace, it’s fabulously fragrant on the nose with sweet berry, vanilla pod, dark spice, violet and cedar characters. The palate displays outstanding concentration and depth, splendidly enhanced by elegant spicy/savoury undertones. Flatteringly classy. At its best: now to 2030."

---

Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS, January 2020 (2017 Vintage)
"A captivating, precise and complex bouquet of Pinot Noir. Immediately varietal with ripe light red berry fruits – raspberry, plum and dark cherry, additional aromas of flowers, baking spices, a mix of silty soils and dry stone earthiness along with and new French Oak layer will seduce Pinot fans quickly. Delicious on the palate – youthful too with an abundance of tannins and acidity – all tempered by the core of fruit and floral seductiveness that is Pinot. Lengthy finish driven by a mix of satin and silk textures alongside the chalky youth of tannin and core of fruit. Well made. A wine for the cellar with best drinking from 2022 through 2027."

[summer slope]

Harbor Punch cocktail:

 

Ingredients
1 1/4 parts Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2 parts Iced Tea
1/2 part Lemon Juice
1/2 part Honey Syrup
1 part Sherry
1/4 part Bug Hill Farm Gooseberry Shrub

Instructions
Combine all ingredients, with some ice, in a pitcher. Stir and serve. Optionally, garnish with lemon and fresh mint.

 

[superoma]

Good morning. Up early to do laundry since it rained yesterday so no laundry yesterday.  In my haste to post the list I forgot the two birthdays but have corrected it now. Still getting into the swing of this so thanks for everyone’s patience. I have given up on extra formatting (tried several word processing apps but none were what I wanted) and will just focus on getting the list right.

 

Looking forward to having family here for pork hocks and sauerkraut today. Always nice when we get together. We are so blessed that both DDs live in the same city and actually within walking distance. And all 4 grandchildren still live at home.

 

have a great day everyone. Prayers for those needing them and a celebratory shout out to those celebrating. And go Jaguars!

[Denise T]

Good morning, everyone! Thank you for the Daily and Fleet Report. Holding everyone on the care list in my thoughts today. 

Up early this Sunday for some yoga. Planning on working in the garden again today. Got one of the gardens beds cleaned out yesterday before the storms hit. Today will be in the upper 60's. 

35 days until I sail. My first HAL cruise is almost here! I have a little shopping to do and then I am getting things organized for packing. 

Love the pictures. No English muffins in the house but I will have a picnic for lunch. 

Have a safe and healthy Sunday!

[cat shepard]

@cunnorl & @marshhawk

 

Charlene & Annie

 

Hope your new year is filled with love, laughter, great health & at least one cruise!

 

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for today’s daily fleet report.  I do like macaroni and cheese but not the spinach and artichoke.  I do like English muffins but only get them at the bread outlet, they are so much cheaper there.  Today is going to be a rainy day.  Yesterday we watched the first six episodes of season 3 of Picard.  The plan is to finish the season today.  I hope everyone has a Sunday.

[kochleffel]

We were talking about sex-llinked colors and markings in cats.

 

Here's an account of a male calico kitten who turned up at a shelter in Colorado. Only 1 in 3,000 calicos is a male.

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/life/2023/04/21/rare-male-calico-kitten-born-in-colorado-cat-rescue-names-him-unicorn/70131661007/

[MISTER 67]

Good morning from beautiful Southwest Florida. Thought I would come aboard and let all know that I was checking out the Port Everglades webcam this AM and just caught the USS Cole coming into port. Of course that was the Navy ship that was attacked by terrorists back in October of 2000 in Aden Yemen. All the sailors were out on deck standing at parade rest and waving to the people in the condos who were out blowing their air horns as they were welcoming the ship to the port. You could see where the ship was attacked as there is a big metal plate on the starboard side. I messed up and forgot to take a screen shot.

Hope all are doing well.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by MISTER 67

[smitty34877]

Good morning. It is absolutely pouring right now. I had two very wet dogs earlier when they were out for their first time. English muffins are a must here but there will be no picnic today. Thank you Sandi, @StLouisCruisers, for the start to the day and your wonderful pictures.

Dinner plans are presently up in the air.

The Hospice people were as aggravated as I was over the reckless and cavalier attitude of the oxygen company. We have had not one but two oxygen compressors malfunction and had it not been for a decent supply of emergency tanks it could have been disastrous.The nurse in charge assured me they will focus on this. We have another new compressor in the house and two small regular tanks now. We don’t have the aide on the weekends so I am counting on assistance from DD and DSIL today. The situation itself  was distressing for everyone but most especially for Tana. I hope she can regroup today and that we can all  get some rest.

Happy Birthday to Charlene @cunnorl and. Annie @marshhawk!

All the best to all of you.

[rafinmd]

Happy Birthday  @marshhawk and @cunnorl.  Bon Voyage @Lady Hudson.  Thank you @richwmn @StLouisCruisers @superoma @summer slope @cat shepard @dfish and @grapau27.  The days all sound nice and I love the Edison quote.  I am thankful my first visit to the UK was after April 23, 1968.  I have not been to Papua New Guinea.  I enjoy English Muffins but rarely get them (perhaps at McDonalds on the way to church), and most of my post-Covid breakfasts and lunches have been taken to outer deck tables, sort of a picnic.  I'll take the Mac & Cheese without the extras.  My alternative is Roasted and Raw Carrot Salad. Baked Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage, and Ricotta Raspberry Tart as served on MS Nieuw Statendam April 23, 2019:

 

 

Roy

[grapau27]

Happy birthday Annie @marshhawk

[RedneckBob]

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info SLC and Super too

[grapau27]

Happy birthday Charlene @cunnorl

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Good morning friends!  I was awake early so decided to just go ahead and get started on the Fleet Report and Daily,  It's Sunday so back to bed after I post.  The weather here is 46F, and it should be a sunny day and 71 degrees for the high.  Thanks to Rich @richwmn for the content today and for the interesting day in history addition.  

 

Today we will celebrate Lover's Day, National English Muffin Day, and National Picnic Day.  If you have a special person in your life that makes your heart skip a beat, show your appreciation for them.  I know I have mine!  English Muffins are a good start to a breakfast sandwich.  Add some egg and sausage and voila!  You don't even have to go to McD's!  And while you're at it you can pack it up and go out and have a picnic.  Or better yet, wait until lunch and take your meal outside.  

 

There's a fun visual with Thomas Edison's quote!  I picture us carrying our brains around in a handbasket.  The menu suggestion is okay I guess, the drink is called Harbor Punch, and the wine a pinot noir.  I think I can pass on all of them which will leave more for you.  Thanks to the ladies, Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for their input on those items.👏

 

Prayers for our Care list people.  May everyone have better days ahead and our condolences to those who lost their loved ones recently. 🙏  And to all on the Celebration list, enjoy your happiness and smooth seas to all our cruisers!  🚢🥂  Congrats to the Michigan Jaguars U16 team on their win in Minnesota yesterday 3 to 1 and our boy Ren scored one goal.  He had a cleat applied to the back of his foot and limped a bit, but is fine.  He didn't play until the end of the game.  The weather was about 34 degrees with a brisk wind and everyone was standing on the sidelines shivering!  Today they play in Madison, Wisconsin and if they're lucky it will be 10 degrees warmer.  Good luck to the team and I hope I can say tomorrow they're on the Celebration list. 🎉⚽

 

I believe we have two birthday girls today!  I want to wish Annie @marshhawk and Charlene @cunnorl very happy birthdays today!!  Many happy returns!🎂🎈

 

Our port of the day is a new one, Alotau, Papua New Guinea.  That means no link to a prior date and no copy and pasting of photos.  I get to stay up longer and post the photos for the first time.  Yay!!  I hope some others will join me in finding photos of their visit there too. 

 

Here we go on Alotau, PNG.  In 2017 we flew to Sydney and began 4 cruises on Sun Princess.  The first was a circumnavigation and it included a jaunt over to PNG to Alotau.  Then the third cruise was mostly Papua New Guinea so we visited that port again two weeks later.  This is a very poor town so don't expect the Ritz when you go there.  We did see what they call an International hotel which I will show a photo of from the street.  It had a big fence around it so we didn't try to get in.  The view from the ship. 

 

Locals dressed up and danced for our arrival.

 

 

There was actually a bus outside the ship but we didn't have a tour and like most others just walked to see the town.

 

 

This must have been the local Walmart.

 

I have no idea what this was.

 

Homes on the hillside behind us.  I would worry about landslides.

 

We stopped here to see the War Memorial.

 

It's called the Milne Bay Memorial.

 

Everybody in town seemed very busy trying to sell their goods while the ship was in town.  

 

 

 

The kids were all dressed up in their native costumes looking for photo opportunities.

 

We kept walking.  Uh oh!  Road work ahead!

 

 

Right by the supermarket.  We didn't go in.

 

Ahh!  Here's the Alotau International Hotel at Milne Bay.  I wonder what the online photos looked like.

 

 

By now we were probably drenched in sweat so headed back to the ship.

 

We walked by this open air market and looked inside but didn't buy anything.

 

The flag of PNG.

 

Sailaway and a sunset.

 

 

It was Halloween and the waiters at dinner were dressed up as ghouls (or whatever they wanted to).  And the ship was decorated with many carved pumpkins.  

 

Well, that's all for Alotau.  I'd forgotten how much work it is to prepare all these photos, but I hope you enjoyed it.

 

Hoping all of you have a very special Sunday!  Stay safe and well.

 

 

Great photos Sandi.

 

[StLouisCruisers]

58 minutes ago, superoma said:

April 23 Care and celebrations

 

Roy recovering from pneumonia and getting stronger

Smitty34877’s DH’s GI surgery

Dobiemom’s sleeping issues

Grapau27 needing hip surgery for arthritis

Jodiesme1 mother and Her DH with Covid in Guatemala 

Too many shooting victims

Marshhawk’s dh with continuing nose issues 

Mamaofami’s dh with pneumonia 

Oxygen supply issues for Tana

Dame Edna passing R.I.P dear possum

Citizens of Ukraine

From the rotation:

 

Status of St. Louis Sal(6/29/22) and JAM37 (6/20/22)

Status of irishjim (10/31/22)

StLouisCruiser’s DB with pulmonary fibrosis

Tanya’s pulmonary issues

 

 

Celebrations

Rafinmd’s good report from the Oncologist, Podiatrist and Pulmonologist

Marshhawk getting COPD med samples

Vict0riann’s week in Ireland

CruzinTerri celebrating that contractor is done and paid

Dobiemom’s good report from after surgery checkup 

New refrigerator for cat shepherd 

Ger_77 good visit with friends

Good room assignment for HAL4NOW

RMLincoln safely at home

Cheers for ladyHudson’s excellent diet results

marshhawk happy birthday

cunnorl happy birthday

 

Welcome home GTVCRUISER

 

 

Many Dailyites cruising or with upcoming cruises

 

Bon voyage Lady Hudson (Anthem of the Seas 4/23 to 5/1)

 7 days Lobsternight anniversary cruise and vow renewal (Nieuw Amsterdam 4/30 to 5/7)

 

 

 Cruising

 

aliaschief & DWAliaschief (Eurodam to 4/28) 

Kplady (Grand Princess to 4/28), 

Sailingdutchy (Rotterdam to 4/29), 

Oceansaway17 (Vision of the Seas to 5/1)

St Pete Cruiser (Noordam to 5/2), 

TiogaCruiser (Volendam to 5/2), 

Overhead Fred’s Anniversary cruise (Rotterdam to 5/6), AV8rix (Volendam to 5/6), 

Dismomx5 (Volendam to 5/6), 

USN59-79 (Westerdam to 5/7), 

Cat in My Lap, Gail&Marty, Richwmn and HorizonChaser1957 (Zuiderdam to 5/12), 

Sharon in AZ (Volendam to 5/17) at sea

Jazzyv cruise (celebrity apex) and vacation to 5/28

 

Thank you for the C & C lists today Eva.  You do them anyway you want to.  We haven't heard from @Horizon chaser 1957 in so many months because they left home several months before the World Cruise even started.  Hoping to see Laura here again once they are settled in at home.  

 

 

 

48 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Thank you Sandi & Rich for today’s R & D! Love the official addition of the “Today in History” feature. 
 

Eva, thank you for taking care of our Cares & Celebrations!
Another lovely morning here after a night of wild T-storms. The local deer herd just wandered by. The fawns are just so adorable.  Just gym, Aldi, Bindi walks, a yard project and getting my next AmVet donation ready for their pick up this week. 
 

Yesterday’s block party was so much fun. Lots of catching up and enjoying a beautiful afternoon with wonderful neighbors. 
 

My favorite vegetable…

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone. 

 

**********

Giesen Pinot Noir Marlborough Single Vineyard Selection Clayvin 2019

This is another elusive New Zealand wine. But I lucked out in finding a distributor t

who not only provided great info, but also ships worldwide.  This wine sounds amazing, I prefer full bodied Pinot Noirs. Our New Zealand Dailyite might find it for a lower price, but the distributor who ships to me offers it for $52.99 + shipping. 

Distributor notes

 

Double Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2022

---

From the famous Clayvin vineyard, a living tribute to Marlborough’s viticultural history, comes this outstanding Pinot Noir. Established in 1993, Clayvin Vineyard was Marlborough’s first significant hillside vineyard. It is North facing, has high density planting and is farmed organically. It is world renown for producing some of New Zealand's very best Pinot Noir. This is one of them.

---

Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"The journey of each Single Vineyard wine starts in a Marlborough vineyard selected for its unique terroir and climate. They are then nurtured with meticulous hands-on viticulture to ensure fruit produces highly concentrated flavour. Our winemaking expertise then allows these wines to speak for themselves, their purity becoming a showcase of the land.

Established in 1993, Clayvin Vineyard was Marlborough’s first significant hillside vineyard. North facing, the vineyard planting is high density. This density creates natural competition among the vines, reducing vigour, promoting root structure and intensity of flavour. It also means that the vineyard only produces ‘one bottle of Clayvin Pinot Noir per vine’.

This Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir is earthy, with wild strawberry and red cherry. It’s restrained with good intensity and a structured foundation, finishing with great length. World renowned vineyard ‘Clayvin’ has historically set the standard for premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay production from Marlborough."

---

Rated Excellent, 5 Stars & 95/100 NZ Wine Rater, August 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Intense, youthful, attractive, fruit-driven bouquet with a sweet lift of sour cherry, lavender, dark chocolate, toasted vanilla pod, liquorice and charry oak. Full-bodied, bright, ripe, concentrated and juicy with well-structured, complex tannins and a spicy, energized finish."

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94/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, December 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"An attractive fragrant aroma features floral/red rose/violet with cherry, struck flint, raspberry and mixed spice flavours on the palate. The wine is supported by ripe tannins and gentle acidity. Accessible now but with plenty of cellaring potential."

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Reviews for previous vintages below…

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5 Stars & 97/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, March 2020 (2017 Vintage)
"Exhibiting awesome power and grace, it’s fabulously fragrant on the nose with sweet berry, vanilla pod, dark spice, violet and cedar characters. The palate displays outstanding concentration and depth, splendidly enhanced by elegant spicy/savoury undertones. Flatteringly classy. At its best: now to 2030."

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Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS, January 2020 (2017 Vintage)
"A captivating, precise and complex bouquet of Pinot Noir. Immediately varietal with ripe light red berry fruits – raspberry, plum and dark cherry, additional aromas of flowers, baking spices, a mix of silty soils and dry stone earthiness along with and new French Oak layer will seduce Pinot fans quickly. Delicious on the palate – youthful too with an abundance of tannins and acidity – all tempered by the core of fruit and floral seductiveness that is Pinot. Lengthy finish driven by a mix of satin and silk textures alongside the chalky youth of tannin and core of fruit. Well made. A wine for the cellar with best drinking from 2022 through 2027."

 

Ann, I wish I could see the fawns frolicking in your yard!  They must be so adorable!

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

We were talking about sex-llinked colors and markings in cats.

 

Here's an account of a male calico kitten who turned up at a shelter in Colorado. Only 1 in 3,000 calicos is a male.

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/life/2023/04/21/rare-male-calico-kitten-born-in-colorado-cat-rescue-names-him-unicorn/70131661007/

 

That is a very cute kitty!

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, MISTER 67 said:

Good morning from beautiful Southwest Florida. Thought I would come aboard and let all know that I was checking out the Port Everglades webcam this AM and just caught the USS Cole coming into port. Of course that was the Navy ship that was attacked by terrorists back in October of 2000 in Aden Yemen. All the sailors were out on deck standing at parade rest and waving to the people in the condos who were out blowing their air horns as they were welcoming the ship to the port. You could see where the ship was attacked as there is a big metal plate on the starboard side.

Hope all are doing well.

 

 

Thanks for letting us know.  Is it docked within sight of the webcams?  Hopefully we can see some photos of it somewhere on the PTZ site.  You should come visit us here at the Daily more often!

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, smitty34877 said:

Good morning. It is absolutely pouring right now. I had two very wet dogs earlier when they were out for their first time. English muffins are a must here but there will be no picnic today. Thank you Sandi, @StLouisCruisers, for the start to the day and your wonderful pictures.

Dinner plans are presently up in the air.

The Hospice people were as aggravated as I was over the reckless and cavalier attitude of the oxygen company. We have had not one but two oxygen compressors malfunction and had it not been for a decent supply of emergency tanks it could have been disastrous.The nurse in charge assured me they will focus on this. We have another new compressor in the house and two small regular tanks now. We don’t have the aide on the weekends so I am counting on assistance from DD and DSIL today. The situation itself  was distressing for everyone but most especially for Tana. I hope she can regroup today and that we can all  get some rest.

Happy Birthday to Charlene @cunnorl and. Annie @marshhawk!

All the best to all of you.

 

That whole situation must have been like a nightmare for everyone especially Tana.  I hope you can get that assistance today from DD and DSIL that you so desperately need.  You need a break!

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Happy Birthday  @marshhawk and @cunnorl.  Bon Voyage @Lady Hudson.  Thank you @richwmn @StLouisCruisers @superoma @summer slope @cat shepard @dfish and @grapau27.  The days all sound nice and I love the Edison quote.  I am thankful my first visit to the UK was after April 23, 1968.  I have not been to Papua New Guinea.  I enjoy English Muffins but rarely get them (perhaps at McDonalds on the way to church), and most of my post-Covid breakfasts and lunches have been taken to outer deck tables, sort of a picnic.  I'll take the Mac & Cheese without the extras.  My alternative is Roasted and Raw Carrot Salad. Baked Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage, and Ricotta Raspberry Tart as served on MS Nieuw Statendam April 23, 2019:

 

 

Roy

 

Your dinner selections look great Roy.  

 

 

[kochleffel]

Dean Martin made "Everybody loves somebody sometime" famous within my lifetime, although the song was written before I was born. I don't have any English muffins on hand; in fact, the only bread in the house is starting to get moldy. This will not be a very good day for a picnic.

 

I don't love macaroni and cheese, even without artichoke and spinach. The drink looks complicated, and I see that the wine steward has rocketed back to New Zealand. I will counter with Fulkerson Winery 2019 Pinot Noir from the Finger Lakes. I haven't been to Papua New Guinea.

 

Today I teach Hebrew at 9:30 and II Kings at 10:30. After lunch, a trip to the hardware store, and I guess to the grocery (for bread).

 

[kazu]

Thanks for our Sunday Daily, Sandi.

 

Great collection of days.  I will celebrate lover’s day remembering DH (but that’s a daily thing LOL).  No one to have a picnic with and alas, the last of english muffins is gone.  Oh well.

 

LOL on that quote of Thomas Edison.  Congrats to Ren for his goal!

 

Well, the gate is on for the front garden (need to keep those blasted deer out & Ivan in if we are sitting out front), the gate to the deck is fixed and the sheds are unloaded.  Now to arrange all the stuff LOL.  I had planned to do that and plant yesterday but after I bent over in the shed, I got a major headache.  I don’t normally get them so I’m not good at them.  I’ll see what I can finish today.

 

 

I guess it’s a good thing I stopped.  Anyone notice there were 2 Bon Voyages yesterday?  Not because I wanted 2 threads but I realized I nearly missed someone 😳 That hasn’t happened in a long time. 😔 

 

@superoma Eva, your lists look great to me.  You do them however works best for you and thank you for such complete lists.  You’re doing a great job!

 

A huge happy birthday to both @marshhawk Annie & @cunnorlCharlene:

 

 

@smitty34877I am so glad that the Hospice people are on the oxygen company’s attitude.  Two compressors going is really scary 😬 Thankful you have a new one and I hope you can get the help you need and you can all regroup 🙏🏻 

 

Prayers for everyone on the Care list & for those that need them and 🥂 to those on the Celebratory / Shout Out list.

 

 

Have a great Sunday, everyone !!!!!