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Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! We have a lumpy rug in our bedroom, I’ve accidentally worn 2 different coloured shoes, and think all pets are special. Except snakes. And lizards. Last evening we sat in the hotel lobby with @jhannah and Donna and visited for a couple of hours. None of us were hungry after the huge lunch we had at Bubba Gump’s, so we enjoyed coffee/cocoa and conversation until it was time for them to retire. They wanted to get to bed a little earlier than usual because the airport shuttle was booked for 3:30 for their morning departure. We all agreed it’s been a great 2 days together, getting to know one another on a personal level, sharing stories of our pasts, and hopes for the future. DH and I are so happy we decided to make this spontaneous trip. Speaking of Maurice, he was blown away by the responses to my late afternoon post yesterday. He said he’s so happy to know he’s got so many friends cheering him on and also said to say thank you for your support of me through all of this. In a short while I’ll wake DH so we can grab breakfast in the lobby and make our way home. Because we have all day, there are a couple of stores I’d like to stop in along the way, so we’ll have the time to do that. I’ve had a rum runner (strong!!), would like to have a sip of the wine if someone else is buying, and do like carrot cake with cream cheese icing. I’m pretty sure on our way into the city we’ll stop and pick up pizza to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers to all who are in pain, in turmoil, in grief, and in storms. Cheers to all with celebrations going on today. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry

Time for a quick check in. After breakfast the 4 of us got in our car and headed off to see West Edmonton Mall. We wandered around a good while, watched the sea lion show, then stopped for lunch. After ordering, my phone rang - it was the TAVR coordinator calling to say Maurice’s case had been approved and he was officially scheduled for the replacement on May 22nd. I was so relieved, I burst into tears right in the middle of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. The waitress came running over to see if everything was okay, but DH explained it this way: “She cries when she’s sad, and she cries when she’s happy. This is a happy cry.” Now we can relax, knowing the surgery will take place and bring with it a return to good health for DH. Hallelujah!!!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily. My very first job was as a clerk in a life insurance office, that’s where I learned to read upside down while waiting for the agents to give me their paperwork. When on a BHB I always make sure to have a few strawberry margaritas to prevent scurvy. It’s worked so far, so I’m not about to stop. The guy who wrote Robert’s Rules must have been a real blast at a party. (rolls eyes) Okay, so yesterday I did something totally random. I knew that @jhannah and his wife were going to be in Edmonton after enjoying their Rocky Mountaineer trip, so I said to DH “We’ve got nothing on the agenda, so why don’t we go there and meet them?” He thought for a moment and said “Sure, why not?” We called our neighbour to take care of Sochi, booked a room at their hotel, tossed some clothes into our travel bags and drove the 5.5 hours to meet friends we’ve known online for almost 20 years (thanks to Cruise Critic), but never met in person. What a great experience it was, it felt like getting together with old friends, as we’ve also followed each other on Facebook over the years, so know much about our families as well. We had a lovely dinner together with great conversations, and retired back to our respective rooms later in the evening. Today looks like a good day for them to see West Edmonton Mall. Here’s a photo of us at dinner last night. L-R: Jim, Donna, me, Maurice @marshhawk, my heart hurts reading what you and Chuck are going through. I pray he gets some relief from his pain and you both can get back to enjoying life. I’ll pass on the drink, the wine, and I’ve only ever had sorrel in a German borscht called “summaborscht”. Not sure where dinner will be, possibly Montana’s, but whatever is served, it will be made even better with the company we’re in. And wine. Prayers for all who are in need, cheers to everyone with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! 🙂🙂🙂 Gerry PS please forgive any typos, etc., as I’m using my iPad mini but forgot the portable keyboard at home in my hast to get on the road!

Rabbit, rabbit, white rabbit. Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Law Day, hmm, reminds me of my former career. I will definitely celebrate couples day and be grateful we still are a couple. Loyalty day is interesting - thanks for the explanation; I thought it was just a day to remind ourselves that loyalty is a worthy trait. Well we haven't heard anything officially, but there is hope for Maurice's procedure. Because I hadn't received a response to Monday's phone call, I called again yesterday morning and spoke with the TAVR co-ordinator, reiterating that he wasn't getting better, just worse with more dizziness, etc. She said she couldn't tell me anything officially, but she has him penciled in for the valve replacement on May 22nd, but it had to still go through the channels and we would be receiving a letter in the mail to verify it. She did say though, that June 5th was an alternate in case something happened that May 22nd didn't come through. At least there's something to look forward to for him - and thank you all for your wonderful thoughts and prayers as we play this seemingly endless waiting game. @kazuI have you in my heart as you commemorate Jose's passing; you just know he's looking down on you with the same amount of love you gave him. @RMLincolnprayers that your DH's eye pressures start to come to more normal levels. @marshhawksending good vibes to you & @catmando as you make your way to the dermatologist today; I do hope they'll be able to do something to relieve Chuck's pain and his cheek as well. Our friend Wayne received his pacemaker yesterday and called around 7PM to say he was home and feeling fine. Although his A-fib is still a major issue, the pacemaker is there and he will go back in 30 days for the second procedure - the cardiac ablation so the pacemaker will take over full time. This afternoon is the time when the guys in the band usually get together, but this time we're including the wives/significant others, so there will be maybe 8 or 10 of us enjoying coffee and chats instead of just the men. Because the coffee shop is in a mall, I may suggest after a while that the ladies take off for some retail therapy and let the guys have some time alone - I think they might like that. I'm not a huge fan of rum, so will pass on the drink, and would probably like the wine, but wow $$$... I'd substitute @kochleffel's alternate. We both love basil pesto, so I think today's menu suggestion would be one we would enjoy. We've got some leftover pulled pork from the other day that will be rolled in tortillas and served with coleslaw at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, and in turmoil. Cheers to all with celebrations today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! I'm all about animal advocacy - they deserve it. Thanks for the explanation of Beltane; I had no idea what it was. Who doesn't love Bugs Bunny? I remember Saturday morning cartoons on the old black & white TV watching all the antics of that crazy bunny. It's only +4(39F) right now and cloudy, and according to the weather apps (all of them agree today) there's a 55% chance of rain starting late this morning and carrying on throughout the day. Unfortunately yesterday the couple who was going to do our spring yard clean-up couldn't make it, and if they're going to do it today, they'd better be here early or they won't be able to do any raking in the rain. It's not like the leaves and trash from the cedars and junipers are going anywhere. LOL @RMLincolnI do hope your DH's eye issue is short lived and his pressures get back to normal again very soon! Also sending comforting thoughts to you as you bid farewell to your DSIL. @marshhawksending every good wish I can think of for Chuck's appointments today, and for strength for you as his back-up person. @smitty34877I do hope your shoulder issues are short-lived and you're feeling better soon. @lobsternightwishing you and your DH a very Happy Anniversary! Our friend Wayne is receiving a pacemaker today, so sending good wishes out to him as well - I just texted him and his reply was "Fran's driving me to the hospital", so hopefully he'll be back home this evening. As far as DH's issues - I called yesterday morning and left a pleasant message (you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar) saying we were wondering what the outcome was from last week's case presentation. Crickets. No reply, although I'm not the type of person to sit around waiting for phone calls - I did enough of that in high school waiting for a particular "boyfriend" to call. When we did come back from shopping, etc., I did check the phone and there weren't any calls. So, I'll call again this morning and try to find out what's happening. Sigh. I know I'd like the drink (love grapefruit), would probably enjoy the wine, and I've never had cauliflower rice of any kind - it sounds like it might be quite good. For us there's a package of fried ground beef thawing that will be made into quesadillas for us to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in turmoil, in wars, and especially for the souls of the slain officers and their families in North Carolina. Cheers to all with celebrations. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Bon Voyage; we did a Baltic cruise a number of years ago and still have wonderful memories of it!!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! My mom had a peace rose growing at the edge of our garden when I was a child; it was such a beautiful variety of colours all together in one flower. The Make A Wish foundation is a wonderful organization. Just imagine all the things you have with zippers in them, then think of what you would do without them. The quote is lovely - we all wish (hope) we have friends like that. Here's a photo of a peace rose from the internet: The sun is shining brightly and it's already +8(46F) and should go up to 18(65) which will make for a beautiful spring day. We were in touch with the fellow who does our snow removal and he and his wife will come over to do the spring yard clean up for us as well - they're expected to show up later this morning to take care of it for us. It looks like lots of folks have medical appointments today - I'm sending good vibes to all of you as you deal with your health issues. In about an hour I'm going to be placing a call to the cardiac health clinic to find out what's going on with DH's case. After that it will be time to get onto our deck - yesterday's plan didn't work out, as it was cold and rainy and neither of us felt like schlepping cushions, moving furniture, etc., so today should see some improvement in it's condition. I'd like to try the drink of the day, will let others enjoy the white wine, and I've never had Mexican street corn, so am looking at the recipes with great interest. I'm not sure if we can get Cotija cheese around here, but definitely have Feta in the fridge almost all the time, so it's just a matter of getting the corn and putting it together. For us though, there's a pork loin that will be going into the slow cooker along with a bottle of barbecue sauce and a pkg of onion soup mix to be made into pulled pork sandwiches for us to enjoy (hopefully) on the deck tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, in turmoil, and in the paths of the tornadoes. Cheers to all with celebrations happening. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Hi Jacqui, when you have time (no rush), please add DH and I to the Nov 2, 2025 sailing of the Oosterdam from Barcelona to FLL where we'll enjoy the company of many Daily-ites.

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Great respect for the Brave Hearts - those dealing with pediatric cancer and those dealing with childhood sexual abuse. I salute all the superheroes who came to the fore during Covid 19; we appreciated everyone from the janitors and truck drivers to the protective services and medical professions, and everyone in between. I was on the OH&S committee at the court house - we actually had an incident where a guard got her long hair caught in a jail cell lock. That made for an interesting discussion. LOL It looks like the rain is pretty widespread, as it's raining here on the "frozen tundra" as well! According to a couple of the weather sites, it should continue for the next few hours, which won't be a bad thing. As long as it's raining, it isn't freezing! @Cruzin TerriI'm sorry to hear about Jim's friend's passing. @JazzyVI hope you had another good night of restful sleep. @RMLincolnthinking of you as you prepare for your DSIL's funeral. @rafinmdthanks for posting the timeline of the FR&D! I remember the zoom call that you arranged for us during Covid - it was so nice seeing faces and hearing voices that we'd previously only been able to read. This morning I think it's going to be time spent cleaning the winter dirt and dust off the deck and getting it ready for use for the next number of months. I'll bring up the big central vac hose and get into all the nooks and crannies, then take the dusting brush and go over the flat surfaces before getting out the glass cleaner for the mirror plates that go under candles, etc. The windows will be left for another time, as that's a major job and after doing all the moving of furniture, etc., I'm not going to start that. Shortly after noon we'll be meeting our friends Wayne & Fran for brunch and will catch up on what they've been doing. I know he's been having health issues lately, so I want to find out what's happening with him since his A-fib diagnosis. I'll pass on the Riesling, but would like to try the cocktail (a very simple recipe!). Neither of us is a huge fan of beans, so will likely pass on the menu suggestion. DH has asked for something simple to make for dinner, hot dogs, so I'll split them and cook them in the air fryer. Instead of using bulky hot dog buns, we'll wrap them in tortilla shells and will serve them along with crunchy coleslaw at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, and in turmoil. Cheers to all who have celebrations happening today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

Introducing Kevin.

Good afternoon, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! Happy Kings Day to all who choose to celebrate it. I hadn't heard of either type of Devil Dogs, so thanks for the explanation - the sweet treat sounds like a version of twinkies, but chocolate. Love all your pampered little dogs - they're all so precious! We tried to teach our son to save, but it didn't take. Thank the Lord he married a woman who is good with money and they now have an honest to goodness savings account. Late to the party today - seriously late, but for good reason. This morning we picked up our friend Ollie and were first in line when our favourite greenhouse opened. We bought our papyrus plants as well as a beautiful mixed basket that will sit on the table at the front entrance to the house. After that we went to a cute little diner not far from the greenhouse for breakfast where the food is plentiful and the entertainment is watching the locals coming and going outside. We were home for a half hour when DH's daughter called to say they had a new addition to the family - Kevin - an 8 week old orange tabby that we just had to see. It turned out we needed to get a firestick plant over to her anyway, so we went to see the little guy; oh my gosh, is he ever tiny! We came home and about an hour later I went downtown to a hotel where I met an old schoolmate that I literally have not seen in 53 years. We spent the last 3 hours reliving old times and catching up on "kids" we went to school with - many of whom are no longer with us. We've reached that age where we are seeing more and more of them passing away, but there's nothing we can do about it except enjoy the memories. Re: today's quote - I heard a version of it that went: When one door closes and another opens, you're likely in jail. Re: not being able to log on - I couldn't access the page last night, and this morning had a few CC friends on FB message me to see if I was able to - yes, I was, even though they couldn't. Not sure what the issue was, but it seems to have been fixed now. I'd like to try the drink of the day (not sure about the bourbon if it would overpower the flavour or not), the wine sounds nice, but a tad pricey, and the menu suggestion sounds good. Sheet pan dinners are easy and clean up is usually a breeze. Since I haven't really been around all day I didn't take out anything to thaw, so I'm going to hop in the car with DH and we're going to a Mexican restaurant a short drive away where we can pick up burrito bowls to enjoy at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, in turmoil, and in the paths of storms. Cheers to all with celebrations today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

As I recall, one night I wasn't even discreet about it, just whipped out my zip top bag and put them on my dessert plate to pass around with the cheese. The waiters didn't even blink. LOL

A cheese board with no crackers . . . just like our trans-Atlantic! You'd think they'd provide some with the cheese, seriously. They don't have to buy the little packets, just buy in bulk and mete them out when needed. Honestly!!!!!

Good morning, thanks for the Fleet Report and Daily! The Audubon Society is a great one and has been so informative for people around the world. I'm reminded of them every year when the pelicans return to our river - which they did just last week - as it means spring has finally arrived. I'd like to hug an Australian, but all the ones I know are still in Australia. The Chernobyl disaster is one that will remain with many of us throughout our lives. I'm sorry to say we didn't win our fortunes last night at the casino, but DH and the rest of us did have fun. Maurice has asked me to express his thanks to all of you who wished him a happy birthday yesterday - he said "You really belong to a caring group of people." I couldn't agree more. We did have a good day, starting with breakfast at a hotel by the river where we watched the traffic, people coming and going, and a bunch of Canada geese trying to stake their claims on the riverbanks. From there we went to purchase a couple of plants and ended up with a beautiful Boston fern and a golden pothos that are currently hanging out (literally) on our glassed-in deck. A quiet afternoon passed, then around 5 we drove out of town to the casino where we were met by his adult children and enjoyed a few hours of dinner and penny slots. When we got home there were a few birthday messages on the answering machine and then our sweet grandsons made a video call before they went to bed, always bringing laughter to DH. Today we have to make a run to Walmart to pick up food for Sochi, and a stop at Staples to pick up coffee pods for the Keurig. I had an email yesterday with a link for Staples to buy one, get one free box of coffee pods, so I ordered a couple of boxes of decaf (for me) and 2 more regular for DH and our guests. Great prices, so now I just have to pick them up and stick them in the cupboard. @dfishwishing you a very Happy Birthday with many more healthy and happy returns of the day. I hope your drive to visit friends is an easy one and you enjoy the weekend to the fullest. @1ANGELCAT sending good vibes as you go for your "panini press" as I like to call it. @ottahand7thinking of you with care today as you remember the passing of your DH. I do have a question for you though about something you wrote this morning - you said the jelly is out for the finches; what kind of jelly do you use? We have a lot of finches around our house and if I can feed them jelly, I'd be more than happy to do so. I'd like to try drink #2, will likely put it on the list for our next BHB, and would probably enjoy the cava as well. I like the idea of the salmon power bowl and will tuck the recipe away for another day when I make salmon. It's Friday night pizza night here, so after doing the shopping and putting things away, we'll look at the online menus to see what cheesy goodness will be enjoyed at the kitchen table tonight. And wine. Prayers for everyone who is in need, in pain, in grief, and in turmoil. Cheers to all who have celebrations happening today. Smooth Sailing! ☺️☺️☺️ Gerry

The transdermal patches are no longer available in Canada and neither is Bonine. I suggest if you're near the U.S. border or have a flight that stops in a US location, hit up a drug store or Walmart or Costco and pick up Meclizine. The brand name is Bonine, but the generic Meclizine is far less expensive. Failing that, if you have friends in the US, they may be able to provide you with some through the mail.