The Fleet Report and Daily for Wednesday January 31st, 2024

[Nickelpenny]

Happy Hump day to all and thanks for the daily and fleet report.  I appreciate my SSA "check" so will celebrate the day but will pass on the other 2 days. Strange quote.  I think I would like the meal, pass on the drink and wine and never been to Northern Ireland.  Interesting days - cheers for Mandela!!

 

 

It will be a sunny day here but a storm is coming predicted to arrive Friday.  Presently 50F heading up to the high 70s.  I achieve a lot yesterday - got my prescriptions for typhoid and malaria, though they have to order the typhoid.  Decided to do the pills instead of the injection and use doxycycline for malaria.  Total cost for me is a little over $50.  Much better than going to the travel clinic and pay close to $350 because you need to sign a waiver to NOT submit it to insurance (why do I have insurance????).

 

 

For the next 3 days I will be subbing for a science teacher at the Jr High.  Then I must get serious about getting ready for my cruise.  Everything is planned (flights, hotel, etc) just some odds and ends to wrap up.  

 

 

Thoughts for those on the care list and cheers to those celebrating.

 

 

Have a great day everyone!

[Denise T]

Happy Wednesday, Thanks for the Daily and Fleet reports. 

Meal of the Day sounds like something I might want to try. Trying to cook with more lentils and I do love chickpeas. I would try the Drink of the Day as well, 

A bit rainy this morning. Massage in the am and work in the pm. The benefits of working for yourself is that you can work when you want to. I teach online classes so those can be done at any time during the day except for the practicum class which in which I have a group supervision. I love being flexible. 

Bon voyage to @Cruzin Terri

Thinking of all on the care list. 

Celebrating with all who are celebrating. 

Have a safe and healthy day.

[cat shepard]

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy thank you for telling us which ship is where! It is 45, sunny and if I am lucky - today will turn out as gorgeous as yesterday. High 60s, sunny and no wind. Just perfect. 
 

 

 

Vanessa, thank you for helping us keep track of what is happening with everyone. Praying that the upcoming procedure gives you relief.  

 

Mani-pedi, Bindi walks, chores, more grout cleaning and HIIT should keep me busy. 

 

 

 

 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, debilitating conditions, grieving the loss of a loved one or in a funk. And the caregivers.  Thinking of you & Tana, Terry. Praying that Tana feels better. 

 

Cheers to all who are celebrating. 

Paul glad your surgery was a success.
 

May we each find a reason to smile today. 

 

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[RedneckBob]

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

 

Now today days. Gorilla Suit Day; I usually go ape over this day. Social Security Check Day. Agree with Mister67. It was our money to start with and it was interesting when I was still working and collecting social security I was forced to work limited hours to avoid both having my SS taxed and reduced. Way to go government! And two drinks today! Can’t sober up today! 😀

[Haljo1935]

Gorilla Suit Day? Do I get the day off since I don't have one?

Pass on the meal, maybe the drink and wine when I know what they are, not been to the port.

Dr appt this morning hoping to get something to help w/sinuses - Claritin not doing a thing. Then PT and work.

Currently 43° headed to 75° with rain this weekend. 

Prayers and positive thoughts for all. 

[Sir PMP]

Port of Belfast, Northern Ireland:

[1ANGELCAT]

Good cloudy morning. Tomorrow is supposed to b nicer than today

Blessings and prayers to all on our lists.

[rafinmd]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

I receive Social Security benefits but I have never received a Social Security check--it has been all direct deposit for quite a while now. No Brandy Alexander for the lactose-intolerant. No gorilla suits for anyone, imo.

I think it is still POSSIBLE to get a Social Security check but is now rare.  An issue with checks is that sometimes they do not get cashed.  When a check is issued the funds to cover it are immediately withdrawn from the trust fund, and the money is lost even if the check was not cashed. 

 

I think sometime around the turn of the century a 1-year expiration date was put on the checks so now the money is returned to the trust funds at the end of the year, and older uncashed checks were reimbursed in bulk to the extent possible.  There was also a provision to reimburse the fund for the interest these payments would have earned if the checks had not been issued.  There was also a deadline when all payments had to be done electronically but there were protests and it was withdrawn.

 

One of the things I did at Social Security was calculate the interest to be returned to the trust funds and at the time I was nearing retirement.  At one time I had set a tentative retirement date as the time when the last uncashed checks expired.

 

Roy

 

[smitty34877]

Good morning. It will get up to forty today but we will not see the sun yet. 
It makes me laugh to appreciate a social security check. It is money I have been putting in since age 15 and my first job. No brandy or gorilla suits here.

i like the recipe idea and we had something similar  last week but with black beans. I find that chickpeas take ages to cook when I use them in recipes.DD DH and I were  in Belfast on a British Isles cruise with DB. We all went to the  Titanic museum.

Yesterday we had both a Hospice doctor and  nurse here. I don’t know if anything in particular will help at this time but we persevere. It is  a challenge to balance rest periods and activity at this point. We both thank all of you for your support. I am afraid that Tana is starting to show the cold symptoms now. 
 

Bon Voyage to Jim and Terri.! 
I hope the Hawaiian cruisers are enjoying themselves. It can be a little rocky leaving San Diego.

@kochleffel, Paul, I am glad the procedure went well and that Mona Lisa allowed you to pet her. I hope the pain is less today.

Enjoy the day  everyone 

Edited January 31 by smitty34877

[superoma]

Here comes the squash again! Enjoy. Hearty winter food

 

Squash, chickpea and lentil stew

 

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249123/squash-chickpea-red-lentil-stew/

 

 

https://www.eatliverun.com/crock-pot-chickpea-butternut-squash-and-red-lentil-stew/

 

That one is made in a slow cooker. I love using my slow cooker

 

 

 

https://vanillaandbean.com/moroccan-squash-stew/. All very similar recipes, this one is done on the stove top

 

Edited January 31 by superoma
Add photos

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  I appreciate receiving my CPP cheque every month - it's auto deposit, so I receive a notification of it in the mail.  I call it my allowance.  I've never had a brandy alexander, nor have I worn a gorilla suit, but you never know on either!

 

It's still dark out there, but I can see the big old moon just hanging in the sky.  We should have another messy street day, as the temperatures are unusually high for this time of year.  Yesterday 23 communities in the province broke all time records for high temperatures on that day, with one in the south (Maple Creek) recording a high of 20.9C (69F) - yes, it's supposed to be the middle of winter here on the "frozen tundra"!!!

 

@Cruzin TerriBon Voyage to you and DH; I hope you both have a healthy and restful cruise.

@kochleffelI'm glad the surgery went well, and woo hoo for DaVinci having put enough trust in you to let you pet him!!

 

There really isn't much on our agenda today, there's laundry and dusting, but that's about it.  Friends of ours called yesterday to see if they could come over for a visit later this afternoon; she said she has a "care package" she wanted to drop off for us, and we haven't seen them for a few weeks, so it will be nice getting together and catching up on each other's news.  I think I'll make some lemon cupcakes for us to enjoy with coffee during their visit.

 

I'm going to pass on the drink of the day, will let others enjoy the white wine, and will just slip on past the menu suggestion, as it doesn't appeal to me in any way.  I think when our friends arrive for the visit, we'll just let it continue and I have a feeling we're going to end up ordering in Chinese food so we can continue the chatter for a little longer and enjoy their company around the dining table tonight.  And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, and in grief.  Special prayers for Tana and Terri as you struggle together.   Cheers to all with celebrations.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

[grapau27]

Maureen @RMLincoln.

I hope you are both well.

You can delete or change your reaction to posts at any time.

I have changed my reactions to posts many times when I realised my reaction was not appropriate.

Graham xx

 

Edited January 31 by grapau27

[RMLincoln]

Bon Voyage @Cruzin Terri and Jim!  Sure hope your GI is happy today, that you had no symptoms yesterday and can board without any issues. May your cruise be restful and refueling!  

 

Might get into the 40s tomorrow and maybe some sun Saturday?  I can enjoy watching the clouds but it still feels cold out with the biting wind. 
 

@kochleffel Paul that is such good news about your 1-pass Mohs!  But it’s really exciting to hear that DiVinci is warming up. Maybe he felt a vibe of your procedure yesterday and pushed past his comfort zone to comfort you. Hope you can get the right dressing and bandages then rest today. 
 

@kazu Wonderful vets you have and good that Ivan was cooperative. Stay safe!  
 

Most of us have put money into Social Security during our working years but we get paid much more than we put in!  When I was working, many co-workers complained about the SS deductions but I felt that SS was helping my mother instead of me having to help support her in her later years, and therefore I had the opportunity to save in my IRA (tax-deferred independent retirement acct) and prepare for my own retirement. It has all worked out better than I imagined!  SS added to our IRAs make a secure retirement for us. I’m very grateful!  
 

I like bourbon and I like lemonade but not together. The legume and squash combination might blenderize into a good soup. 
Cloverleafs make driving so much easier!  
 

DH is doing well day by day as we go through this balancing of healing, keeping tge drainage path open enough, and using the meds stay in-range. We ran some errands yesterday!  It’s a joy!  His cable to connect to his phone to upload his tonometer eye pressure readings is getting glitchy. We’ll have to address that, we really need to get those readings twice daily. The European models display the readings but the US models need the cloud!  Oiy!  There’s possibly a Bluetooth method we’ll have to explore. That part gets more mysterious, might need some one younger to help!  
 

Melissa @HAL Cruiser as heartbreaking as your and DH’s losses are, it’s a privilege to walk beside our spouse as promised… only one of us gets to do that!  And you don’t do it alone!  We’re with you!🌹Give yourself a warm hug from us!  

 

Thanks all for the reports, the photos and the sharing.  Blessings to all! Lifting up those in need! Giving thanks for the joys!  Smooth travels to all away! May you each Enjoy something today!  

Maureen 

 

Edited January 31 by RMLincoln

[Cruzin Terri]

Good Wednesday Morning from the Lounge at the Marriott Biscayne Bay.

Jim is still finishing up his breakfast while I am reading the Daily.

Thank you all for the well wishes for today.

I am feeling better and had a good breakfast and hopefully I don’t have any ill effects from it.  I had a good night’s sleep.

We will go back to the room, get all our stuff together and close up our luggage, put the tags on and get on our way.  We are the only ship in the port of Miami today.

We did get to Total Wine yesterday so we have all we need.  One nice thing about Oceania is that you can bring all the wine and liquor you want and you only pay a corkage fee if you bring it to a restaurant or bar outside your stateroom.

Many times we have dinner from a specialty restaurant in our suite served by the butler so we do not have to pay a corkage fee.  

So we are just about ready to go.

 

Thanks to Jacqui, et al for the Daily and all that goes with it.

I will try to post some photos of the Oceania Vista and our room later and some photos of the ports during the cruise.

Have a great day everyone.

 

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE BON VOYAGE WISHES.

 

God Bless,

Terri

[cunnorl]

 Good Morning from a cool and sunny day at the beach

     Temps will be in mid 70s today so a nice day.

 I do appreciate my Social Security check but like most, I paid into it since I was 14 years old. We are scheduled to go to Belfast on the VOV this summer so thanks for the pictures. Have been to Ireland a few times but never to Belfast. I am looking forward to it.

     It is great to see so many cruising. It is like the pre pandemic days.  They are building 2 new badly needed parking garages at Port Canaveral. That port has grown so much in the last few years. Now the infrastructure needs to catch up.

    It is the end of the month, so money counting day at the library. The money is from used book sales and a copy machine. We use the money to put back into programs. Our annual membership drive starts next week. 

     I will continue to keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers. 

Stay safe and enjoy today

    Charlene

[rafinmd]

3 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

We are the only ship in the port of Miami today.

Strange behavior from Port of Miami Webcam today.  You are in Terminal J on the south side of the island (only used by smaller ships) but the webcam is pointed high to the north side so no ships are in view.  I think I saw the top of your mast but that's all.

 

Roy

[1ANGELCAT]

@Cruzin Terri, your ship is nicely visible on the port Miami webcam.

 

[Cruzin Terri]

Just now, rafinmd said:

Strange behavior from Port of Miami Webcam today.  You are in Terminal J on the south side of the island (only used by smaller ships) but the webcam is pointed high to the north side so no ships are in view.  I think I saw the top of your mast but that's all.

 

Roy

Oceania always goes to Terminal J as does Regent.  They call that the “Boutique Terminal” for small ships.  We can only see the funnel from our room.

Terri

[RMLincoln]

23 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Maureen @RMLincoln.

I hope you are both well.

You can delete or change your reaction to posts at any time.

I have changed my reactions to posts many times when I realised my reaction was not appropriate.

Graham xx

 

Thanks Graham!  The reaction feature is a recent discovery for me, please forgive me if I have been inappropriate 😔.  I don’t want to offend anyone, but maybe sometimes my reaction to something within a post is unexpected? 🙃  oops!
m— 

 

[travelingbums]

Thank you everyone for sharing.

Happy Hump Day.

[marshhawk]

Good Wednesday Morning Dailyites!  It's currently 38 degrees. the computer also just posted that there was a major wreck somewhere on the highways.  Probably on spaghetti junction (our major cloverleaf).

 

When I was in high school (all girls school)  the juniors and seniors hosted a dance that was themed on Jungle.  I went as the mascot, in a gorilla suit.l  I lost 8 pounds that night.  BUT I got to dance with all the gents.  No slow dancing however, no one really wanted to hold a gorilla in their arms.

 

knock knock

who's there?

gorilla

gorilla who?

gorilla my dreams....

 

I liked Brandy Alexanders.  But I was introduced to them at a high school party where the parents were serving them to the girls.  Not a smart move these days, but that was back in the early 70s and I bet they were oblivious to what a bad outcome would be serving booze to kids. 

 

I felt very grateful in hindsight about getting laid off at age 65.  I joined a senior center, I went back to working part time for SD&A, and then Covid hit.  And there I was getting a SS deposit every month.  If i was still working full time, I basically would have just been out of a job, and money.  So yes, I did pay into it, but it was a serendipitous moment for  me, that the world unwound when it did.

 

 

@kochleffelI was so overjoyed that da Vinci let you pet him last night!  It reminds me that it will take a long time for Coal to get used to me, (that's the new stray that showed up) He has been living on the chair in the back for about 6 months now. We have a routine in the morning.  I turn the carport light on, go out and put down the wet food.  He leaves his chair. I go back in to get the crunchies, he comes to the carport but not in, I go back to get the Temptations, he runs under the dead car, and then the minute I come back in, he is at the food.  The closest we have been in 6 months is when I walk back into the house, and he runs for the food.  About 6 feet.

@Cruzin TerriI hope that your tummy got better yesterday and that you are up for the cruise.  Have a wonderful time!

 

Next port is Kusadasi Turkey.  What a beautiful part of the world!  Our excursion was to the remains of the church of St. John,  the house of the Virgin Mary, and Ephesus.  Another country that had cats!

 

The remains of the church-if it had been completed it would have been the largest church in history-

 

 

I really wish that the castle behind the church would have been included in the tour-

 

 

 

 

Apparently Jesus told John to take his mom(Mary) with him to Turkey and she moved up into the mountains, near a spring. I only have one picture, but it was very hilly - and my main search was for a rest room, and we were not there very long.

 

 

And now on to the ruins of Ephesus.  It was as amazing as I hoped it would be.  I remember that several Dailyites had posted pictures prior to our cruise, and I was excited to be there.  Slippery marble roads, and several people fell and needed medical attention, but DH and I remained safe.

 

 

 

 

I dont often get a smile from DH, but he was so happy to be on this trip.  We were always at the back of the tour, but we made it!

 

The size of the second theatre we saw-

 

Kusadasi was the port name, 

 

 

 

Edited January 31 by marshhawk

[rafinmd]

I think PTZ was reading my mind.

 

 

 

 

Bon Voyage Terri & Jim

 

Roy

[smitty34877]

@kochleffel. Ooops. Wrong cat, sorry. DaVinci!

 

This is a picture of Natasha, a next door kitty. I think she is beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

[RedneckBob]

18 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Oceania always goes to Terminal J as does Regent.  They call that the “Boutique Terminal” for small ships.  We can only see the funnel from our room.

Terri

Interested to hear how you like this ship. Is it correct that on this ship Jacques is no longer a specialty restaurant?

[rafinmd]

My second alternative maps:

 

 

 

I will be a bit autocratic about this but also welcome opinions.  I may or may not include non-HAL cruisers in the maps. I cannot find a way in cruisemapper to select a group of individual ships except by cruise line, so my decision will be based on how many ships the other cruise lines have and how much non-HAL ships with no dailyites aboard clutter up the map.  I suspect I will never include @Lady Hudson since Royal Caribbean has so many ships with a color not that different from HAL ships.  I also tried putting peoples names in red and I think I like that better than the green.  If we continue to get multiple dailyites on the same ship I may find it necessary occasionally to truncate a name or two.

 

Roy

Edited January 31 by rafinmd