The Fleet Report and Daily for Sunday October 15th, 2023

[Haljo1935]

Awe, Sweetest Day - made me smile. 

Like the quote, pass on the meal, don't know the drink, would try the wine  not been to French Guiana.

Currently 50°, headed to 68° and back to 90° for the weekend, ugh.

Still haven't been able to get a Go pre-paid card the credit union recommends for the Rome cruise - it just throws me into a loop asking for the card number when I don’t have one yet. I was told I cannot order one in the branch, it has to be done on their website, but I'll go Mon and see if they can help me. We leave in less than 2 weeks and it usually takes that long to get a card. I'm already stressing about the pickpocket situation and if I can't get the card, it may push me over the edge. Ugh...

Navigator App started acting wonky yesterday so I uninstalled it w/plans to reinstall it. The universe had other plans. Now I'll have to print boarding passes and hope they can get it installed on the ship. Unless I can find an older version to install. So that's on my list for today.

Prayers and positive thoughts for all. 

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning everyone.  Thank you for the daily updates.  A nice collection of days, we have a neighbor who uses a white cane so we’re always on the lookout for potential obstacles.  I have today’s quote taped to the inside of my medicine cabinet.  Think I’ll pass on the meal and drink suggestions today.  I haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers for everyone on the prayer list. Cheers to those of you celebrating happy events. 

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you Bob.

It was on Vineland AVE Lake Buenavista about 600 metres from the Premium outlet.

Graham, there we go with that meter thing again; but yes, we have been there before. By spending a week in Florida you have officially become a Florida Cracker, Graham, or is that a Graham cracker?  😀

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from a 2015 QM2 transatlantic to Southampton.  On October 15 we were just past the midpoint of the crossing:

 

 

Roy

[ottahand7]

Good morning.   Thanks for the Daily Reports Rich.  Sweetest Day is a good day to celebrate with a nice bottle of wine and a home cooked dinner.   Our repair to the oven has worked so far.   I have searched for a small interior oven and there is a nice Bosch model that isn't too breathtaking and a good independent company to install.  Pass on the wrap, the cocktail looks fun and a good looking pinot noir.   We have been near Devil's Island on the Volendam,  HA made such an issue about Yellow Fever shots we just stayed aboard, it was stinking hot anyway.  Great photo of the Volendam from the island @StLouisCruisers.   Thanks for your photos also @Quartzsite Cruiser.   @grapau27 thanks for your photos of your trip to Florida.

@NextOneprayers for you as you prepare for your surgery.   Prayers for everyone on our care list and the people under war conditions in Israel and Ukraine.   

Another day of football here.  Ravens are the 9:30 game from London and John's Vikings are on at 1:00.     Have a lovely day.   Nancy 

[kochleffel]

I'm getting annoyed about Funchal. No one in the roll call was interested in a taxi tour that I was trying to set up, but another passenger posted about looking for more people to join one that they had scheduled -- and ignored two requests from me to join it. They are still looking for two more passengers and I'm concluding that they're holding out for two and won't consider a solo. Or are just too flaky to rely on.

 

 

 

[RedneckBob]

1 hour ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Good morning from a chilly central Texas where it is 50F but feels like 47F.  There is an 8mph wind from the NW with 76% humidity.  The dew point is 43F.  It is supposed to be sunny today once the sun rises at 7:36am, and our high will be 69F.  On today's agenda is laundry and a trip to the store to get what else I need to make lasagna for dinner.  It's a good day to used the oven.

 

There are three good days to celebrate, but I hope we are about through with the repairs for a while.  White can safety day is an important day.

 

The Ralph Waldo Emerson quote is a good one to live by, but some days it is easier said than done.

 

I think we'll pass on the meal and the drink.  The wine would be good with tonight's dinner.

 

We have been to Iles du Salut twice, which is the main island in the group.  The first time was on Noordam III in 1999 (pre-digital) and the second was in 2006 on the old Regal Princess.  Interestingly, while most ships' itineraries list the port as Devil's Island, none of us have actually set foot on that island.  It is the smallest of the three islands, and is uninhabited.  It is forbidden for any visitors to go there, and the waters around the island are too dangerous for ships or tenders to dock.  Only the worst, most dangerous prisoners were kept on Devil's Island.

 

Today in history was not a good day for Napoleon Bonaparte.

 

@grapau27  Welcome home, Graham and Pauline.  I figured you were away from home, but did not guess you had crossed the pond.

@Crazy For Cats  Jake, it is way to early for Christmas wreaths or any decorations.  We need to get through Halloween and Thanksgiving first.  I think this sums it up well.

 

@RedneckBob RNB, I too became proficient in Roman numerals, but in my case it was because the Spanish language and I did not work well together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

Ms Crystal, It’s great we both know Roman numerals well. In fact I had cruised so much over the past years that my shirt size is the same Roman numerals as this years Super Bowl! 😳

[RedneckBob]

I forgot.

 

Thanks for the Fleet Update and General Info from all contributors!

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I hadn't heard of Sweetest Day, so I looked it up and it's a day to share romantic deeds or expressions and acts of charity or kindness.  I like that.  You don't see many white canes these days, not sure why.  We should be able to repair, rather than replace, but in today's world, that's just not the case.

 

I'm envious of everyone's temperatures, as ours was -1C when I woke up and there's a stiff breeze blowing as well, making it feel like -5C.  To make myself feel better, I bring up the PTZ cameras at various locations (FLL, Miami, Key West, etc.) where nobody wears a sweater.  The other morning on the Key West cam I caught sight of a bunch of chickens and little chicks walking down the middle of the road; so cute!

 

@JazzyVthanks for adding me to the care list; I'm sure there are many others among us who deserve to be there more than I do.  

 

Yesterday was true to form with celestial events - we had cloud cover until about noon, just after the annular eclipse had ended, and then the clouds parted, and we had bright sunshine for the rest of the day.  I had to be content looking at photos online that others had taken from different parts of the world.  We took a drive out of town to a garden centre where they were advertising succulents at clearance prices of $2 each.  Once we got there we realized why - they were tiny and in terrible shape; I'm surprised they even had them out, as they looked like they'd been neglected for a long time.

 

Not much on the agenda today, just removing the cushions from the deck furniture and storing them inside, and moving the 2 chairs at our front entrance into a storage area in the back yard for the winter.  DH pumped out the fountain yesterday, so today we'll wrap it with tarping to help keep it secure from winter storms.  Today's the day we plan on getting a number of bags of bird seed before the prices go up - which tends to happen as soon as the temperature drops.  Ironically, we store the bird seed in kitty litter pails, as they're waterproof and mouse proof as well.

 

I'd like to try the drink of the day, am pretty sure I'd like the wine, and would likely make today's menu suggestion using ground beef or sliced beef.  I've taken out a couple of pork chops that DH said he'll barbecue for us, so we'll enjoy them along with baked potatoes and grilled asparagus at the kitchen table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, particularly those in Israel and Ukraine.  Cheers to all with celebrations.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

[smitty34877]

Good morning. We have a sunny but cool day at 54 going up to 64 later. I had a nice breezy dog walk . The rain yesterday has caused more mushrooms to sprout around the tree bases. It was a very sniffy walk for the two pups.

The meal looks interesting and I have not been to the port. I like the quote and it seems Mr Napoleon required exile after his second trip to France. 
We decided to order in food tonight for which I am very grateful. I usually enjoy cooking but it has not been fun lately. I did make the teenagers’ sausage and potato dish yesterday and he had two helpings. My other customers were not as enthusiastic.

@cruzn single, sorry to hear of your Covid situation and hope you are starting to feel a little better.

@NextOne, I will be thinking of you on Tuesday and I hope all goes well.

@grapau27, I hope you and Pauline had a great time in Florida. The food certainly looked good!

@JazzyV and @dfish, I am sorry to read about the ongoing pain issues for both of you. They sound complex and I hope treatment is available soon for both of you. I have found after forty years of RA flares and the like that seasonal changes heading into winter are problematic for me. The lidocaine patches are a wonderful invention along with the various  gels and creams available nowadays. There wasn’t much beyond prednisone when I was first diagnosed so things have improved. Slightly…

Enjoy the day everyone.

[smitty34877]

@ger_77, Sorry, I did not mean to leave you out!

Rotator cuff tears are very painful and often result in significant functional loss. I hope the docs have a plan for treatment soon. DD slept in a recliner after this injury and the subsequent repair. It was not possible to sleep in the bed unless she was on numerous pillows.

[cat shepard]

3 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Thank you for today's daily reports.

It is currently 40°F here in North East England.

We have just got back at 06.00am  from Florida in the US.

We were there 7 nights 8 days.

The temperature was between 84°F and 96°F.

3 good days and quote today.

I hope everyone is safe and well.

Graham, did you & Pauline get caught up in all the tornado warnings on Wednesday? 

 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info. 

[highscar]

ForQuestion for Canadians   Looking for info if going to Pearson airport with small mobility scooter. Uber or ?

[grapau27]

41 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Graham, did you & Pauline get caught up in all the tornado warnings on Wednesday? 

 

No.

It was raining on and off on Thursday but it did not affect us.

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

I'm getting annoyed about Funchal. No one in the roll call was interested in a taxi tour that I was trying to set up, but another passenger posted about looking for more people to join one that they had scheduled -- and ignored two requests from me to join it. They are still looking for two more passengers and I'm concluding that they're holding out for two and won't consider a solo. Or are just too flaky to rely on.

 

 

 

You're probably right they're looking for a pair and just too inconsiderate to reply to you. Sorry...

[Nickelpenny]

Good Sunday morning to All!  Thanks for the daily and fleet reports.  I know 2 students who use a white cane so will gladly celebrate the day.  I strive for acts of kindness and I always try to repair things myself.  My motto is "if you can do it, so can I".  The vegan wrap looks like the meal I ordered from Pizza Hut last night which I did not enjoy at all so I will pass.  The drink sounds interesting and I do like pinot noir.  I will be going to Devil's Island next year so I will be close to today's port.  I wish I could take Emerson's advice but I tend to replay things in my head to see if I could have done it better.  Poor Napoleon!!

 

After a long, long delay, the dryer repair person showed up and, guess what?  The dryer was working!!!  Who knows what was the problem but I checked it a couple of times over a day and a half to make sure it still didn't work before I reported it.  I give up!!

 

The eclipse watching was fun and even though we didn't get the full effect, it did get like early morning in terms of sunshine.  Fall weather is so lovely that I have been sitting outside enjoying it and not getting much done.  I did order some citronella candles as mosquitos think I am breakfast, lunch and dinner; they come from miles to feast on me!!

 

I need to get going as I have a full week.  Doc appt on Tuesday for my yearly checkup.  My labs were up on a couple of things and it will be interesting to see what he says.  Those that are up tend to fluctuate from ok to a little high.  I am not a pill taker and he knows that.  I hope he can pipe in on my increasing numbness on the side of my left leg.  I know what dermatome it is and it is coming from my L4-L5 which I have had surgery on twice - once when I was young and 20 years ago.  I will refuse to take daily NSAIDS.  We will see.  It seems all my problems are ortho related; I need new bones!!  (sorry for the rant)

 

Thoughts for all in the world and cheers for those celebrating.

 

Have a great day everyone!!

[Smmessineo]

Today is also National Pug Day !

The breed motto is "multum in parvo". That's Latin for   "a lot in a little".  Great dogs. I've had II (that's 2 in Roman numerals , not eleven).😁

 

Best wishes and strength to all who are going through tough times ❤

[JazzyV]

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

3 good days. True quote. I'll pass on the meal and drink, and take the wine. I haven't been to Iles du Salut. 

 

There are off and on showers, a little brighter skies, but chilly with a high of 54F later. Sleep was fair, waking up around 4AM with pain, then again near 7. I'm trying to do some straightening in the "music room", which is my hangout with the PC and TV. I don't know if I'll need to stay downstairs after my procedure on Wednesday, so I may end up sleeping in the recliner or on the sofa. Going upstairs is a struggle every evening, and I don't want to do anything that might lead to a spinal fluid leak.

 

@grapau27 Welcome home. 

@StLouisCruisers Nice photos.

@Quartzsite Cruiser Thanks for your photos.

@dfish I envy all your quilting. My quilt is a sampler quilt, with each block being different. It's all pieced together, just needing each square quilted. I think about half are done, by hand. I'm tempted to try to find someone to finish it or I fear it will never be completed.

@smitty34877 I'm glad you're getting a break on meal preparation today. 

@Nickelpenny That pesky L4-L5! I think it's L4 where I have a bulging disk and nerve root stenosis. I hope your doctor has some suggestions. I don't like daily NSAIDs either; they help my back but do nothing for the nerve issues.

 

Prayers for the Care List and Cheers for those Celebrating.

[57redbird]

After about 10 cardioversions (shocks) & 3 internal nerve ablations on his heart for atrial fibrillation, hubby is having an external ablation on Wednesday to hopefully stop it.  Prayers for him, his cardiac surgeon & team as we get though this. Thank you all!

[puppycanducruise]

@57redbird Prayers for you and your husband and his medical team.

[Nickelpenny]

12 minutes ago, 57redbird said:

After about 10 cardioversions (shocks) & 3 internal nerve ablations on his heart for atrial fibrillation, hubby is having an external ablation on Wednesday to hopefully stop it.  Prayers for him, his cardiac surgeon & team as we get though this. Thank you all!

Thoughts for your DH and his team.  

[StLouisCruisers]

17 minutes ago, 57redbird said:

After about 10 cardioversions (shocks) & 3 internal nerve ablations on his heart for atrial fibrillation, hubby is having an external ablation on Wednesday to hopefully stop it.  Prayers for him, his cardiac surgeon & team as we get though this. Thank you all!

 

Prayers for you all as you go through this procedure together.  Thank you for letting us know.  🙏

[smitty34877]

1 hour ago, 57redbird said:

After about 10 cardioversions (shocks) & 3 internal nerve ablations on his heart for atrial fibrillation, hubby is having an external ablation on Wednesday to hopefully stop it.  Prayers for him, his cardiac surgeon & team as we get though this. Thank you all!

Prayers for both of you on Wednesday. I hope all goes well.

[Vict0riann]

Prayers for @57redbird’s DH and all the other Dailyites suffering!  And good morning, all, with many thanks for all the news.  I looked on my Navigator this morning and it says 16 days - eek!  Suitcases will be coming up soon.  
 

Interesting items in the FL and D today.  I would try the recipes, but DD has announced she will be making tempura veg, and she has prepared shakshuka (?) for the next day - so who am I to complain?  She would very much like us to be vegetarian.  When I cook, there’s meat involved…

 

@kochleffel, there is a good HOHO bus in Funchal, if it is running.  I know there is/was a stop along the waterfront, but the ship’s shuttle drops off one street off the waterfront, near the park, and I don’t remember if there was a HOHO stop nearby, or if you have to walk down to the water.   You might have a look online for schedules, and at least have that as a backup if you don’t hear about the tour with Daniel.  
 

we had a nice time in Bellingham, the ferry, returning, had a computer glitch and we were told there was no space left all day, and we would be sleeping in the terminal!  We got on the 3 o’clock one, no problemo…