The Fleet Report and Daily for Tuesday June 11th, 2024

[kazu]

3 hours ago, Lady Hudson said:

 But first have to get through two doctors visits for DH. Fingers crossed.  Assuming all is well DD will be here to stay with her Dad.

 

Best wishes for both your doctors’ visits and that all is well 🙏 

 

 

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Yearly skin check this morning. All good. Froze a mole that was really itchy. Eye exam and consult with cataract Dr. tomorrow. 

 

Good news on your skin check up, Dixie.  Best wishes for your consult tomorrow.  

 

@JazzyV - Vanessa could you email me please?  ( catjack1 at me dot com) - it’s very important.  Thank you.

[NextOne]

7 minutes ago, durangoscots said:

One of my neighbors is going to install a mini-split..... I am going to see how that works before investigating further but up here on the 2nd floor it gets hot!!!. I am sure the dogs would love it and I would sleep much better at night.

Susan, what is a mini-split? Sounds like something I should investigate!

[Overhead Fred]

1 hour ago, puppycanducruise said:

@Overhead Fred  Welcome back to Ontario.  Too bad about the grass, maybe you should get a goat. 😁

Or a hay baler!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Overhead Fred said:

We arrived at our Canada Cottage Saturday safe and sound. Our internet was down and I just got it fixed yesterday. 

 

Everything seems fine with the cottage, except the grass was almost up to my knees! It is going to take a few mowing/raking sessions to get it tamed. 

 

We stayed with the SIL in Bessemer, MI (in the UP) on Thursday and she made blueberry muffins for us on Friday morning. 

 

We went to a brew pub called Cold Iron Brewing (https://coldironbrewing.com/) in Ironwood. It was Open Mike night and there were some very talented singer/guitar players to go along with some delicious brews. 

 

Here are some Clematis that I stumbled upon in Guernsey, April '24

 

 

 

 

 

Fred, I'm glad you and Mitzi made it to the cabin safely.   Sorry about the tall grass.  Maybe you could rent a flock of sheep to take care of the grass until it is shorter.  Someone in this area has a flock the rents.

 

1 hour ago, summer slope said:

Yearly skin check this morning. All good. Froze a mole that was really itchy. Eye exam and consult with cataract Dr. tomorrow. 

 

Dixie, that is good news.  I hope the eye exam and consult goes well tomorrow.

 

13 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Good morning all!

Another cloudy morning, and a little wind too.  It's probably the wind that BFF said they had in Bellingham a couple days ago.  Only up to the mid 60's and a bit drizzly today.

 

I'll get outdoors today as usual, if we don't get too much drizzle.  I like Gerry's @ger_77 idea of counting our blessings to make life beautiful.  Since it's just DH and me in our home, we don't have a crowded nest.  But it made me think of the house down the street where they had 9 people living in the same size/floor plan that we have.  Three people have moved out, so now there's "only" 6 there.  Still a crowded nest IMO. 

 

I like blueberry muffins but leave out the oatmeal please.  I like oatmeal in cookies sometimes, but not in muffins.  I'd like the wine and the drink, but always ask to leave the rim of salt off (kidneys). 

We haven't been to Kodiak but it's on the itinerary for the 28-day Alaska we're taking next year.  Thank you Lenda @Quartzsite Cruiser and Sandi @StLouisCruisers for the great photos!  We haven't decided yet what to do that day, either rent a car or just walk around.  The ship excursions are very few, sold out already, and extremely expensive.  Lenda do you remember how easy it was to rent a car there?  Did you have to go to an airport to get it?

 

Terry @smitty34877 I'm sorry to hear that Tana has a stomach bug and hope it's short-lived.

Jacqui @kazu I'm very sorry to hear that your friend has a clot in his lungs.  Prayers that the situation is resolved quickly.

Elizabeth @Haljo1935 Happy Birthday to your sister!  Both of my sisters' birthdays are in June too.  Growing up I always wished I had a summer birthday too (January here).  

 

 

 

Carolyn, for many years we rented a car at a gift shop downtown next to Safeway.  The drawback was they didn't open early even when ships were in town, and sometimes not until way after the state opening time.  In 2018, after a CC group reserved all the cars the gift shop had, we rented a car at the airport.  They will usually pick you up and drop you off, but that day they were busy, so we took a taxi to the airport.  We were able to leave the car at the dock for them to pick up later.  There are several car rental companies at the airport, and IIRC, we rented from the one that says they try harder.  There is a lot to see in Kodiak, and renting a car let us see more without having to wait on people to get back to the bus.  If you have any more questions, just ask or email me at mscyrstal70 at gmail dot com.

 

Lenda

 

[kochleffel]

This morning I woke from a frightening dream, which is very rare for me, and I still don't feel well. I definitely don't want muffins or a margarita right now.

 

I recently finished a Ryan William 2021 Dry Riesling. Here's the 2023, already in short supply. "Pale straw-like in color, the 2023 Dry Riesling has a smooth richness that is easily balanced by natural acidity. With notes of peach and slate on the nose, and light pineapple on the palate, the wine finishes with a playful note of lime. Super versatile, serve this Dry Riesling with everything from white fish and charcuterie to baked apple strudel," $18.95.

 

I haven't been to Kodiak but yesterday I saw an episode of Dr. Oakley in which she helped to transport a bull from Kodiak to an uninhabited (by humans, I mean) island where the Kodiak Baptist Mission runs cattle, and bring back a horse that was needed for summer camp at the mission.

 

 

Edited June 11 by kochleffel

[Cruising-along]

46 minutes ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

Carolyn, for many years we rented a car at a gift shop downtown next to Safeway.  The drawback was they didn't open early even when ships were in town, and sometimes not until way after the state opening time.  In 2018, after a CC group reserved all the cars the gift shop had, we rented a car at the airport.  They will usually pick you up and drop you off, but that day they were busy, so we took a taxi to the airport.  We were able to leave the car at the dock for them to pick up later.  There are several car rental companies at the airport, and IIRC, we rented from the one that says they try harder.  There is a lot to see in Kodiak, and renting a car let us see more without having to wait on people to get back to the bus.  If you have any more questions, just ask or email me at mscyrstal70 at gmail dot com.

Lenda, thank you so much -- very helpful as always.  Now that I've asked, I checked back on our itinerary and see that we will be in port 7am-3pm!!  That adds to the problems of renting a car. 😞 Unless a better ship tour comes up (unlikely) or a good private tour, we may just do the walking around town (and hope for decent weather) 😉  Thanks again!

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

16 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Lenda, thank you so much -- very helpful as always.  Now that I've asked, I checked back on our itinerary and see that we will be in port 7am-3pm!!  That adds to the problems of renting a car. 😞 Unless a better ship tour comes up (unlikely) or a good private tour, we may just do the walking around town (and hope for decent weather) 😉  Thanks again!

 

Carolyn, there were times when all aboard was 2:30, and most those days, we just walked around town.  There is the The Kodiak History Museum (formerly the Baranov Museum), the National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center and the Holy Reresection Orthodox Cathedral all within a block or two of each other.  Further away from downtown, there is always Wal-Mart.  You can also hire a taxi at the dock to take you to look for bears upstream from the highway bridge and/or to Fort Abercrombie.

 

Lenda

[USN59-79]

It is a comfortable day here in the PNW; blue skies, light wind and about 65F.  Saw an optometrist yesterday morning and got my prescription for new glasses.  Really unsure of where to go for the glasses.  The VA medical center South of Tacoma will provide them, but it is 80 miles round trip and not sure if one trip would do it.  Checking online they are cheap, but lack the personal touch.  I think my insurance will cover them also, just need to ask at some local places.

Filled my car with gas yesterday; the first time since last December.  I am very happy with the PHEV we bought in 2017, a Prius Prime.  Plan to cut some blackberries and Scotch bloom in the back yard today and then take Sara to her PT appointment this afternoon.  Interesting local happening yesterday.  A Harley rider collided with a bear on Hwy 101 yesterday.  They airlifted the bike rider to a hospital, but didn't report on the condition of the bear.  I hit a deer on that same road a few years ago.

Been to the Kodiak library.  Picked up a couple books from their used book sale.  At the time we walked up the hill to it.  Not sure if we could still do that.

Ray

[rafinmd]

Today's sunrise is from my 2015 Prinsendam British Isles.  On June 11 we visited Killybegs, Ireland:

 

 

Roy

[kazu]

2 hours ago, NextOne said:

@kazu Jacqui - a friend just gifted me with a plant that looks very much like the one with the little pink flowers in your last photo. What is it? She told me & I promptly forgot! I'm trying to figure out whereto plant it where the deer won't eat it! I'm mad at those pesky creatures right now because they ate all of my beautiful day lily blossoms, even though I had sprayed with deer repellant and planted marigolds right next to them. Oh well...

 

do you mean this one with the flowers at the bottom of the pic?

?

 

 

 

it’s a perennial geranium.  I don’t think the deer like their smell - at least they don’t touch the ones in my retaining walls and there aren’t many they don’t eat here.  They spread easily and you can rip off parts, tuck in the roots and they take off.

 

 

[NextOne]

6 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

do you mean this one with the flowers at the bottom of the pic?

?

 

 

 

it’s a perennial geranium.  I don’t think the deer like their smell - at least they don’t touch the ones in my retaining walls and there aren’t many they don’t eat here.  They spread easily and you can rip off parts, tuck in the roots and they take off.

 

 

Excellent - thank you!

[JazzyV]

Good afternoon. Thanks for the FR/Daily @richwmn, and to the F&B contributors.

It's a beautiful day to get outdoors here today. I hope to make life beautiful. I've never had the crowded nest situation. A sadly true quote. Yes to the muffins and drink! I'll pass on the wine. I've been to Alaska, but not Kodiak. A good day in history for the about to be US and the UK.

 

It's lovely out today, 70F and sunny currently, with low humidity. It was in the 40's this morning. I had pushed back my haircut due to not knowing how I'd be after surgery; It seemed so long to me, but when you have short hair you have to get it cut regularly. Usually I could go in the back door of my salon, right across the alley behind my house. But my stylist moved a few doors down when the salon closed (after 37 years). So I decided to slowly walk around the block, using my cane. I made it, and my guy said the stairs behind the new place are treacherous, even for him. So I'll continue to use the front. My head feels lighter! Then I went to pick up the remaining groceries for BFF. He has his first post-op visit tomorrow; unfortunately I'll be taking him at the height of rush hour. I'll go early to take in and put away the groceries, then we'll head out. A mutual friend will bring pizza to his house in the afternoon.

 

@Vict0riann Thinking of you today. I hope you come out with a good plan for treatment.

@MISTER 67 Stay safe with all that rain. I hope your power stays on, and that your golf slump is short-lived.

@grapau27 Thanks for the explanation of crowded nest. 

@StLouisCruisers Nice Kodiak photos.

@ottahand7 I hadn't heard about those stabbings; terrible. I hope the Urgent Care can help give you some relief.

@Mr. Boston Woohoo on the sale of the condo moving along and your new home!

@dfish I've made that first recipe (I'm a big skinnytaste fan).

@Haljo1935 Happy Birthday to your sister! I hope all goes well with the PCP and the eye procedure. Your work seems to make it difficult to get medical time off.

@aliaschief Lots on your plate to do now that you're home. The luggage forward sounds like a great thing when you have many bags.

@Quartzsite Cruiser Wow, 14 visits to Kodiak. Thanks for all your wonderful photos. 

@Seasick Sailor I hope your wound is coming along.

@Lady Hudson I hope your DH's doctor visits go well, so that you can go on your cruise.

@kazu Take as many breaks as you need. So sorry to hear about your friend's post surgical blood clot; I hope he's ok as they treat it.

@smitty34877 Oh no on Tana's stomach bug. I hope she recovers quickly and that no one else gets sick. Prayers for you all.

@marshhawk Hugs to you as you deal with DH's difficult issues. 

@ger_77 You are such an empathetic person; so no surprise that your friends are so comfortable dropping in.

@Overhead Fred Enjoy your time at the Canada cottage.

@summer slope Good news about your Derm check.

@luvteaching Good luck with getting the insurance reimbursement.

@kochleffel Sorry about the frightening dream. I hope you're feeling better now. 

@USN59-79 Yikes on that biker colliding with a bear!

 

Prayers for the Care List and a Toast to those Celebrating.

[JazzyV]

@kazu Email sent.

[Copper10-8]

9 hours ago, richwmn said:

............................................

Today in History:
1776 Continental Congress creates committee to draft a Declaration of Independence.........................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

\

[St Pete Cruiser]

7 hours ago, Quartzsite Cruiser said:

We have been to Kodiak 14 times, and all but two of those were on BHBS.  Our first time was in 1992, pre-digital, when we put our motorhome on the Tustemena, one of the fleet of the Alaska Marine Highway, for an overnight trip to Kodiak.  The motorhome fare cost way more than the fares for both of us and our DDs, and a room for four with a bath.  Since our first dachshund, Brandy, was with us, we had to take the motorhome for her to stay in.  Also, on the return trip, we left the Trusty Tusty in Seward.  We were only in Kodiak one night due to the ferry schedule, but we packed a lot of sightseeing into that day.

 

We did the 14-day out of Seattle 12 times by doing b2b2bs in 2010 and 2012 on Amsterdam, 2015 on Statendam and 2018 on Zaandam.  Also in 2018, we stopped in Kodiak on Coral Princess on the Circle the Northern Pacific cruise.  We have had great weather on several of the stops, cloudy, misty weather on other stops, and pouring rain on a few stops.  When it was pouring rain, we just stayed on the ship and watch the people trying to stay dry waiting for their tours.

 

On December 5, 2012, while we were on Koningsdam, this is what I posted about Kodiak.

 

I found a few different pictures of Kodiak on DH's tablet.  They are from our various trips except the one in 1992 in the pre-digital age.

 

@rafinmd, Roy, this first picture is for you.  I didn't find a good picture of the Tustemena in Kodiak, but this was her sailing out of Homer, bound for Kodiak.  I guess that counts.  For those who have never sailed on her or seen her, the tall structure near the stern is how vehicles are loaded on the ferry.  You drive onto the platform between the uprights, and are then lowered to the parking deck.  Once on that deck, a turntable rotates the vehicle so it can be driven to its parking spot.

 

A Kodiak bear looking for salmon in a stream.

 

Eagles near town looking for fish 

 

A WWII bunker and remnants of guns in Fort Abercrombie State Park.  This bunker is a museum that is worth a visit.

 

Another bunker 

 

The plaque marking the high water level reached by the tidal wave after the March 27, 1964, earthquake.  The plaque is near the fire station near McDonalds, quite a way above sea level.

 

Finally, the small boat harbor downtown 

 

Lenda

Lenda, I think you are the winner of the most port calls to Kodiak! We stopped there on the Westerdam in April 2019 on the Yokohama to Vancouver spring reposition.  It was sunny and cold, but we were happy to go ashore, ride the school bus, walk across the bridge to the park and tour the little town with a nice welcome center and library.  I looked at doing the Alaska Marine Highway/Ferry long before I did go to Alaska on the Zaandam in 2007.  I'm sure it was a great experience.  Thanks for your regular posts on the Daily.

[Haljo1935]

Eye procedure update - no go (again) today due to the antibiotic I'm taking for the kidney stones - come back in 5 weeks. Had it not been for the antibiotic, allergies had cleared up enough she could have done the procedure, getting me to the halfway point - instead, we're still working on #2 of 4.

Drop the newest ointment, go back to the old ointment, continue the newest Rx drops (4x/day), continue the other drops (every 1-2 hours). Drop the cold compresses & resume warm compresses.

Edited June 11 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

3 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

Lenda, I think you are the winner of the most port calls to Kodiak! We stopped there on the Westerdam in April 2019 on the Yokohama to Vancouver spring reposition.  It was sunny and cold, but we were happy to go ashore, ride the school bus, walk across the bridge to the park and tour the little town with a nice welcome center and library.  I looked at doing the Alaska Marine Highway/Ferry long before I did go to Alaska on the Zaandam in 2007.  I'm sure it was a great experience.  Thanks for your regular posts on the Daily.

 

We managed most of the visits by doing two to four 14-day cruises b2b. That got us out of the Texas heat, and also gave us a fighting chance for good weather in each port at least once.  A few times, it was raining so hard we didn't get off the ship.  Instead, we sat in the Crow's Nest watching the very wet passengers returning to the ship.

 

Lenda

 

Lenda

[1ANGELCAT]

Good chilly afternoon, it’s hard to believe that by Thursday the temperatures will be in the 90’s. 
FYI , Koningsdam is showing on Smithsonian Channel at 10 pm eastern time tonight.

[durangoscots]

4 hours ago, NextOne said:

Susan, what is a mini-split? Sounds like something I should investigate!

A ductless cooling unit. There are a number of variations. Much smaller and cheaper than HVAC.

[Cruzin Terri]

Good afternoon from a sunny and very humid Barbados.

i have not yet read the posts and will do so as soon as I can.

We got up late and had breakfast, after which we went to the medical Center again to have Jim’s leg looked at.  Another $150.  Thank you!

They also looked at and cleaned up Jim’’s arm wound.  However, that expense was covered by the hotel.  I was given instructions how to clean and dress the wounds and urged to make sure that he gets medical care at home,

I have now come down with a cold and also a stomach bug.  I am really not surprised.  

I feel like we just have a dark cloud over our heads.    We just cannot catch a break.

 

We will be happy to go home on Thursday.

Terri

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good afternoon from a sunny and very humid Barbados.

i have not yet read the posts and will do so as soon as I can.

We got up late and had breakfast, after which we went to the medical Center again to have Jim’s leg looked at.  Another $150.  Thank you!

They also looked at and cleaned up Jim’’s arm wound.  However, that expense was covered by the hotel.  I was given instructions how to clean and dress the wounds and urged to make sure that he gets medical care at home,

I have now come down with a cold and also a stomach bug.  I am really not surprised.  

I feel like we just have a dark cloud over our heads.    We just cannot catch a break.

 

We will be happy to go home on Thursday.

Terri

 

Terri, thank you for the update.  I'm sorry you have a cold and a stomach bug.  I hope you feel better soon.  Safe travels home on Thursday.

 

Lenda

[1ANGELCAT]

2 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good afternoon from a sunny and very humid Barbados.

i have not yet read the posts and will do so as soon as I can.

We got up late and had breakfast, after which we went to the medical Center again to have Jim’s leg looked at.  Another $150.  Thank you!

They also looked at and cleaned up Jim’’s arm wound.  However, that expense was covered by the hotel.  I was given instructions how to clean and dress the wounds and urged to make sure that he gets medical care at home,

I have now come down with a cold and also a stomach bug.  I am really not surprised.  

I feel like we just have a dark cloud over our heads.    We just cannot catch a break.

 

We will be happy to go home on Thursday.

Terri

Oh Terri, I really can’t like your post. I hope things start getting better for you soon. 

[kochleffel]

2 minutes ago, durangoscots said:

A ductless cooling unit. There are a number of variations. Much smaller and cheaper than HVAC.

 

Adding to that: a heat pump that's installed outside the building, connected to a fan unit in the room by only a tube. The building I worked in installed them for air-conditioning but they could also provide heat. As there was a dropped ceiling, the fan unit replaced a ceiling panel. In a typical installation, however, it's a wall unit installed near the ceiling.

[smitty34877]

50 minutes ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good afternoon from a sunny and very humid Barbados.

i have not yet read the posts and will do so as soon as I can.

We got up late and had breakfast, after which we went to the medical Center again to have Jim’s leg looked at.  Another $150.  Thank you!

They also looked at and cleaned up Jim’’s arm wound.  However, that expense was covered by the hotel.  I was given instructions how to clean and dress the wounds and urged to make sure that he gets medical care at home,

I have now come down with a cold and also a stomach bug.  I am really not surprised.  

I feel like we just have a dark cloud over our heads.    We just cannot catch a break.

 

We will be happy to go home on Thursday.

Terri

I am sorry to hear things are not so good. It will feel good to get home . Take care of yourself.

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, Cruzin Terri said:

Good afternoon from a sunny and very humid Barbados.

i have not yet read the posts and will do so as soon as I can.

We got up late and had breakfast, after which we went to the medical Center again to have Jim’s leg looked at.  Another $150.  Thank you!

They also looked at and cleaned up Jim’’s arm wound.  However, that expense was covered by the hotel.  I was given instructions how to clean and dress the wounds and urged to make sure that he gets medical care at home,

I have now come down with a cold and also a stomach bug.  I am really not surprised.  

I feel like we just have a dark cloud over our heads.    We just cannot catch a break.

 

We will be happy to go home on Thursday.

Terri

Hugs and safe travels on Thursday.