The Fleet Report and Daily for Saturday May 4th, 2024

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

This will be our 74th cruise and we never had a bad one, just some have been better than others.

Same here.

68 cruises to date and 5 more booked.

We prefer the bigger ships.

[Mr. Boston]

Good morning from a beautiful and sunny Boston.  I can’t believe that it’s already the Kentucky Derby.  I applaud firefighters for their bravery and work that they do to keep us safe.  I also applaud chickens who I find endlessly entertaining to watch.  Interesting quote to think about.  The meal suggestion sounds delicious as does the drink.  I haven’t been to today’s port.  Prayers for those on our prayer list.  Cheers to those of you celebrating happy events today! 

[quilty964]

Good morning and happy Saturday!  The sun is shining, was 44F when I got up.  May have some rain this afternoon.  People are anxious to get their gardens going, but you never know about the weather here.  Thanks for all of the daily info.  The meal sounds interesting, haven't been to the port, but I'm looking forward to pictures!  A big thank you to all of our Fire Fighters!  

@JazzyVGood to hear that you are feeling better!

@marshhawkpraying for you and DH. 

Have a good weekend and may the 4th be with you!  K

 

 

[kochleffel]

4 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Today in History:

 

In 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard shot 13 students at Kent State University, killing four of them.

https://wapo.st/3UM8koH

 

One of the students who was killed was from my hometown. If my family had lived a few blocks from where we did, we would have been in high school together.

 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info.

[RedneckBob]

2 hours ago, summer slope said:

May the Fourth be with you. 

 

Strawberry Splash cocktail:

 

Indulge in the refreshing and delightful taste of summer with the "Strawberry Splash" cocktail, a vibrant libation that captures the essence of sun-kissed strawberries and the joy of warm days. This delightful drink blends the sweetness of strawberries with the zesty kick of citrus and a hint of mint, creating a sip that is both invigorating and satisfying. Inspired by the abundance of ripe berries and the spirit of relaxation, the Strawberry Splash is a perfect companion for moments of leisure and bliss. Served in a dazzling glass, it exudes an air of fruity freshness and happiness. Whether you're unwinding by the pool or hosting a summer gathering, the Strawberry Splash is the perfect sip to infuse your day with a burst of sunshine and pure enjoyment.

Ingredients:

1 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
4 mint leaves
.25 oz club soda
2 oz. strawberry vodka
4 strawberries

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the fresh strawberries and mint leaves with simple syrup.
Pour the strawberry vodka and freshly squeezed lemon juice into the shaker with ice cubes.
Shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds to infuse the flavors and chill the cocktail.
Strain the mixture into a dazzling cocktail glass filled with ice cubes and top off the Strawberry Splash cocktail with a splash of club soda for a bubbly and invigorating finishing touch(optional).

Add a little whip cream, a piece of white cake and we have a strawberry shortcake splash!

[rafinmd]

Thank you Rich, Sandi, Vanessa, Debbie, Ann, and Dixie.  I’ll especially celebrate International Firefighters Day, no idea what National Business Brokers is about and guess I’m happy with Respect for chickens.

Not sure about the quote and I have not been to today’s port.  I don’t think there has been a Lithuania port before.

Margaret Thatcher was a legend in her time.

Since I don’t eat seafood I’ll pass on the meal.  My alternative is Classic Caesar Salad, Broiled New York Striploin and Peach and Berry Crisp my final dinner on MS Nieuw Statendam May 4, 2019.

 

 

A rainy day in Maryland, a good one to hunker down.

Roy

 

[JazzyV]

Good morning. Thanks for the Fleet Report/Daily.

Lots of days. Kentucky Derby Day!  May The Fourth/Star Wars Day! I'll salute Firefighters. I respect chickens but still eat chicken. Business brokers have their role. Interesting quote. Pass on the meal (fish). Maybe for the drink and yes to the wine. I haven't been to Klaipeda. Ah, the day in history of the "Iron Woman" as she was called.

 

It's been raining here since last night, but not heavily. I did go upstairs to sleep. I was afraid to try lying on my back. I got about 5 hours of sleep. Today I need to get BFF to go to the PO; they won't pick up the packages I'm sending for the research study, as they're labeled hazmat (they are just nasal swabs contained in a tube and double wrapped. Thankfully next week is the last week.

 

@VMax1700 Enjoy your last day aboard.

@aliaschief Thanks for the photos.

@marshhawk I hope you and Chuck have a good day.

@1ANGELCAT I hope Houdini improves with his treatment.

@StLouisCruisers I too went back to sleep after posting earlier. I'm glad you're having a good time and socializing a lot. Uh oh, on the household pest! I hope it's taken care of soon.

@kochleffel Thank you for reminding us about the Kent State shootings.

@rafinmd Thanks for the maps. I hope you're doing well.

@HAL Sailer @mamaofami Thinking of you and your DHs.

 

Prayers for the Care List and Cheers for those Celebrating.

[RedneckBob]

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

 

As far as the Oscar Wilde quote, should I do a self portrait! 😳😳😳

[RedneckBob]

26 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Same here.

68 cruises to date and 5 more booked.

We prefer the bigger ships.

Congrats on your number of cruises Graham and Mister67. But does size matter, I mean numbers matter! 😀

[Sea Viewer]

2 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

This will be our 74th cruise and we never had a bad one, just some have been better than others.

 

I also have 70+ cruises and the only bad one was when I sailed a continuing education cruise on a cruise line I don't usually sail. On the second day there was a fire in the engine room and we lost power and drifted for 3 days off San Salvador until a "rescue" ship came to take us back to Miami. The behavior of many of the passengers transferring via lifeboats regarding not following crew directions was eye raising to say the least. 

I do have a good story to tell though!

 

[RedneckBob]

16 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

 

In 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard shot 13 students at Kent State University, killing four of them.

https://wapo.st/3UM8koH

 

One of the students who was killed was from my hometown. If my family had lived a few blocks from where we did, we would have been in high school together.

 

I was attending college in Ohio when this occurred. It was very sad. We had protest at school that were so bad the school shut down for the last few weeks of school. Students received a Pass/Fail grade for the courses that they were taking.

[MISTER 67]

2 minutes ago, RedneckBob said:

Congrats on your number of cruises Graham and Mister67. But does size matter, I mean numbers matter! 😀

We prefer smaller ships, even though we are down on HAL right now the Eurodam is our favorite ship.

[Nickelpenny]

 

Good morning to all and thanks for the daily and fleet report.  Cheers for firefighters and chickens but business brokers?  Nay.  I am not a fan of horse racing though on my trip last year across the country, we did stop off to see Churchill Downs. It was cool to see.

 

 

Not a fan of the quote.  Meal sounds interesting but pass on the rest.  Never been to the port and Margaret Thatcher was such a trailblazer.  

 

 

A beautiful day is in store for us with the temps heading up to ~90F under sunny skies.  It has been a whirlwind week and I am glad it is over.  Some glitches arose that I was able to resolve satisfactorily.  

 

 

Sorry to hear of all the medical challenges this week and hope all is well for those.  Cheers to those celebrating.  Have a nice weekend.

[grapau27]

16 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Thank you Rich, Sandi, Vanessa, Debbie, Ann, and Dixie.  I’ll especially celebrate International Firefighters Day, no idea what National Business Brokers is about and guess I’m happy with Respect for chickens.

Not sure about the quote and I have not been to today’s port.  I don’t think there has been a Lithuania port before.

Margaret Thatcher was a legend in her time.

Since I don’t eat seafood I’ll pass on the meal.  My alternative is Classic Caesar Salad, Broiled New York Striploin and Peach and Berry Crisp my final dinner on MS Nieuw Statendam May 4, 2019.

 

 

A rainy day in Maryland, a good one to hunker down.

Roy

 

 

[RedneckBob]

10 minutes ago, MISTER 67 said:

We prefer smaller ships, even though we are down on HAL right now the Eurodam is our favorite ship.

Ditto! We are booked on the Eurodam in November b2b. 

[dobiemom]

Always. 😉

[ger_77]

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily!  Great respect for firefighters - they put their lives on the line with every call and deserve far more than they get in compensation.  I do respect chickens, although I also eat them.  Every morning when I get up I check the Key West PTZ webcam to see if I can see any of the chickens - with a few exceptions, almost every day I've managed to pick them out wandering across the streets.  They always make me smile.  I'm not sure what a National Business Broker does.  Margaret Thatcher was an amazing woman.

 

We left the hotel yesterday morning around 9:30, heading for home and arrived around 4:30 after stopping a couple of times for gas, to stretch our legs, and for a leisurely lunch.  Sochi was happy to see us, although annoyed as well.  While we were eating dinner, she sat in the middle of the kitchen with her back turned to us as an insult for having left her.  LOL  No amount of coaxing could get her to turn around until she wanted to. 

 

@JazzyVI'm so happy to hear you're getting more rest - I do hope it will continue indefinitely.

@StLouisCruisersa "household pest" . . . . . ugh.

@marshhawkI chuckled reading that you're keeping your colouring book next to you while you work - good for you!  I hope Chuck's situation will improve soon.

 

Everyone is talking about rain - is there a solid cloud all across North America?  We drove through clouds and scattered showers yesterday and I see it rained more overnight.  We're expecting overnight temperatures to go below freezing for the next couple of nights, so we'll be bringing the plants into the house for the night.  I might just end up lining them up in the living room window and leaving them there, rather than carting them in and out.

 

I'd like to try the drink of the day, although wouldn't Prosecco with strawberries be a lot easier?  I'm sure I'd like the wine, although it is a little pricey, and the menu suggestion sounds delicious and super easy.  We don't often have cod, though, so I'd have to go out and buy some.  I've got some chicken breasts thawing that will be prepared almost like today's cod recipe, and cooked in the air fryer to be served along with green beans and small baked potatoes at the kitchen table tonight. And wine.

 

Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in turmoil, and in various stages of the grieving process.  Cheers to all with celebrations.

 

Smooth Sailing!  ☺️☺️☺️

Gerry

 

P.S.:  @dobiemom I didn't see your post when I hit "save"; we are both on the same track!

Edited May 4 by ger_77

[Crazy For Cats]

Good Morning, thanks for the daily fleet report.  All is well, I’m just limiting my social media time.  I get more than enough screen time with work.

@JazzyV I’m glad to read that you are doing better. 
@1ANGELCAT thanks for your concern.  We are planning on heading down your way in a few weeks to watch the grandson play in a softball tournament.  Hotel openings are scarce so we are staying in New Holland next to the restaurant.

 

[durangoscots]

Good morning. Sunny here and warm although a cooling spell is headed our way and temps will go below freezing at night.

 

Little new from here. I am slowly getting over the "whatever that was" digestive upset and am plodding away on sorting. Books and some clothes to the shelter today. I have been sending my prayers to all needing them.... just have not felt like posting.

 

Cheers to all. I have got to get myself pulled together... but that may have to wait til next week.

 

Susan

[NextOne]

Happy Star Wars Day - May the Fourth be with you!

With all the rain they've had in Kentucky, I'm betting that the winner of today's Derby will be a "mudder"!

For the Garden Club:

 

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

Good morning from another wet day in central Texas.  It is 69F with a predicted high of 78F.  According to the weather app, our rain is supposed to start about 1 pm, but the driveway and road are wet.  In any case, it will be a wet weekend continuing into Monday morning.

 

We will be watching the Kentucky Derby, but it's still not the same as being at the racetrack.

 

Firefighters deserve our support and respect for risking their lives to protect people and property.  I guess business brokers deserve a day.  I'm not sure I respect chickens, but they are interesting.  Here are some chickens on the north shore of Oahu.

 

An interesting quote from Oscar Wilde.

 

We'll pass on the meal.  The drink sounds refreshing, and I would try the wine if offered.

 

We have not been to Klaipeda, Lithuania.

 

The Iron Lady was a remarkable woman.

 

@VMax1700  Colin, I hope you and Ellen enjoy your last day on Nieuw Statendam.

@aliaschief Bruce, thanks for the pictures from Port Louis, Mauritius.  I hope we can visit there someday.

@marshhawk  Annie, I hope the new job goes well and you have a lot of sales.

@kochleffel  Paul, DH and I have been talking about the Kent State shootings this week.  We just hope that with the new protests there is not a repeat of that horrible day.

@grapau27  Graham, thank you for the explanation about business brokers.  I had never heard about them until this morning.

@ger_77  Gerry, I'm glad you arrived home safely.

@StLouisCruisers  Sandi, I hope the host calls back soon and the problem is solved quickly.

@durangoscots  Susan, I'm glad you are beginning to feel better.

@NextOne  Edi, thanks for the picture.

 

Most of the heavy rain and flooding is in southeast Texas.  The pictures of the flooding on the news were taken between Conroe and The Woodlands, which is about 30 to 40 miles north of Houston on I-45.  The San Jacinto River always floods in that area during heavy rains, but this year the flooding seems worse.  I've never seen pictures of a semi and trailer being swept way.  Also, the underpasses in Houston will be flooded.  Our area about 45 miles north of Waco is basically just soggy.  Our lake is a flood control lake, so the Brazos River won't flood too badly as it goes through Waco.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lenda

 

Edited May 4 by Quartzsite Cruiser

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2017 Crystal Symphony cruise San Diego to New York.  On May 3 we visited Puerto Vallarta:

 

 

Roy

[GTVCRUISER]

[RMLincoln]

I most definitely salute Firefighters 👩‍🚒 having been one. All firefighting is dangerous both imminently and long-term with high latent occurrences of cancers. Structure and vehicle fires produce copious carcinogens; wildfires produce ultra fine particulate that lingers for days and weeks. Wildland Firefighting is grueling work, usually paid at minimum wages and seasonal therefore without benefits. Most firefighters are rotated onto a fire for 2-3 weeks working 8-16-hr “operational periods” usually wearing heavy gear packs.  
 

I entered the fire service as a local volunteer in my late 40s. 70-75% of firefighters in the US are volunteers (mostly rural America). We were “Initial Attack” in our district until federal, state or county crews could muster and be deployed which could take several hours.  Often we were not released until several hour after their arrival. Usually I quickly relegated myself to less intense activities than “cutting fire line” such as running pumps, driving/shuttling/filling water trucks, laying hose-lines, then later assignments for crew accountability, communications, weather tracking, and acquisition and distribution of water and meals.
 

I hold my NM fire family close and communicate with Chief frequently; today is their required annual wildland firefighting refresher class including practicing deploying a fire shelter to hopefully save your life if caught in a burn-over. Tomorrow much of NM will be in Red Flag and Fire Weather Watch conditions with warm temps and dry winds.  It never gets easier, and fires are becoming much more intense than when I began in 2002. 🙏

 

I’m very grateful for all your support during our tough days!  And as we keep putting one foot in front of the other. Thank you ALL!  
DH is continuing the Plan B regime and we’re not giving up!   Check with eye doc Monday afternoon. 
 

Blessings for all in need!  Grateful for the encouraging reports!  Praying for Amazing!  
 

Cheers to all celebrating and cruising!  
Maureen