.......idle jottings

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=369728&stc=1&d=1448665025

 

Is this appropriate Pool Deck attire, Mr. Hum? Was spotted on the Cunard Board. Those Brits you know.

Haha.....perfect around the Pool Deck......especially as Hum never goes there ....haha

But dont try wearing it at TOYB !!

Sorry though Jim....."idle jottings" was first with the "mankini".....Poppy introduced it Hum seems to remember.

There aint many subjects not covered here.

There aint many subjects not covered here.

Unfortunately, that guy is one subject not quite covered enough.

Well, maybe not big but news. SD is now recognizing those with 100+ days on board by providing complimentary laundry and pressing of up to 10 items per stateroom. At least that is being offered on the SD II cruise leaving (well, not actually leaving until tomorrow, but boarding) in STT today. That's all I know. I will have an additional data point next week however.

Well, maybe not big but news. SD is now recognizing those with 100+ days on board by providing complimentary laundry and pressing of up to 10 items per stateroom. At least that is being offered on the SD II cruise leaving (well, not actually leaving until tomorrow, but boarding) in STT today. That's all I know. I will have an additional data point next week however.

Oh my !

Haha

Oops, CTBJR! Thought I had mentioned the new laundry perk on my review, but apparently not! It was much appreciated! Applies to both ships as we were on SD I. There are other goodies in store, but we will all have to go a LONG way to get HH's free cruises! That's all I can say!

Vandrefalk

Oh my !

Haha

Indeed!

Oops, CTBJR! Thought I had mentioned the new laundry perk on my review, but apparently not! It was much appreciated! Applies to both ships as we were on SD I. There are other goodies in store, but we will all have to go a LONG way to get HH's free cruises! That's all I can say!

Vandrefalk

Will look forward to learning about the other goodies. As for h-h, there was a time when we had more days than h-h and Blondie combined. That was of course long long ago and we've been left in their dust, getting farther and farther behind every year. So glad that they have gotten some love from Oslo as a result of their loyalty. Well deserved!

Unfortunately, that guy is one subject not quite covered enough.

Haha

Hum must agree Zimmy.

Hoping life is behaving itself.

Any forthcoming voyages ?

Kindest regards to you both.

HHxx

Will look forward to learning about the other goodies. As for h-h, there was a time when we had more days than h-h and Blondie combined. That was of course long long ago and we've been left in their dust, getting farther and farther behind every year. So glad that they have gotten some love from Oslo as a result of their loyalty. Well deserved!

So gracious of you.

And greatest thanks (again) to SD shoreside management for the very generous acknowledgement of patronage to SD.

At the time, Hum wrote to all Captains and Hotel Managers on both vessels as well as both offices (Oslo and Miami) and the Owner explaining that the main reason for returning again and again was the ................wonderful crew.

.....normal services resumed .....

HH - we'll be on SD2 out of San Juan on 2 January. Looking forward to seeing you and Blondie. Zimmy's DH

HH - we'll be on SD2 out of San Juan on 2 January. Looking forward to seeing you and Blondie. Zimmy's DH

Forgive Hum.......of course, he remembers now !

One of the benefits of having a great travel agent and a posh one at that, is being invited to wonderful "jollies" !

Why people book direct is beyond Hum...quite mad !

That'll get a few breathing heavy....haha

Well one such "jolly" was the other night.

An exclusive dinner at the famous dining club, Mosiman's in Belgravia, London.

Had never been before and we were eager to go.

A film crew commissioned by the BBC were supposed to be in attendance but the Club hierarchy cancelled their permission at the last minute.....quite understandably.

We were driven to the door from Poshland after a fractious day with contractors who cleverly disconnected us from an electrical power supply and sent the alarms screeching whilst Blondie screamed she was in the midst of applying the second layer (of Gawd knows how many) of facial cosmetics !

Anyway as we relaxed into the leather seats of the Merc, Blondie whipped out half a bottle of chilled champagne !

We arrived, ten minutes behind ! Perfect. We entered and after coats were taken we were taken to the library where a large table for 20 was set up.

A charming young lady from Lanson (champagne) offered us a Blanc de Blanc: unusually it was composed of three vintages.

She was really pretty too and when she asked Hum about his favourite champagnes..well Hum was off ! Amazingly she seemed interested but when Hum saw her opposite him at dinner, she was apparently just as interested in some "old codger" just as much (the fact that he owned most of Norfolk and had lost his wife a few years back could have been a factor !).

Well we met our personal TA: a beautiful young lady. Smart too. Love her.

Oh and there were three "bods" from Sotherby's representing buying or renting villas in Barbados at extraordinary prices. One of the "bods" actually owned an island in the Grenadines and had developed it quite tastefully.

Of course we were all in a "huddle" and the question was put to Hum whether he stays in Barbados.

No was the gist.

Hum then explains his preference for SD and a large number of people all become very interested, asking all sorts about the vessel.

The case for SD over a place in Barbados was well made by his Hum-self much to the annoyance of the head honcho from Sotherby's.

Well you cant beat SD for a winter escape to the Med can you ?

Did you mean "winter escape to the Caribbean"?

Speaking of which, we have had to cancel our SD trip planned for Christmas 2016. A large family confab is being planned for the week of Xmas/New Years then. And in all likelyhood we will be the vict.... uh, gracious hosts for the ravening horde. Lots of new babies showing up between then and now :eek: That's what we get for having a large house near the beach, with warm winters... Wait until the overflow folks see the hotel rates :rolleyes: There is the Ritz-Carlton, the St. Regis, and the Montage within 20 minutes or so if Palazzo Daneskjold.

But as a consolation prize we are now thinking SD in the Med in 2017, perhaps Spain/Portugal.

On another note, Mrs D has been organizing the photos from the tank museum and as part if that looked up all the various vehicles in order to caption the photos. She seems to have taken an interest in the subject. She even said we should visit the Bovington tank museum and "drop in on that nice ho-hum fellow" :D

Did you mean "winter escape to the Caribbean"?

 

Speaking of which, we have had to cancel our SD trip planned for Christmas 2016. A large family confab is being planned for the week of Xmas/New Years then. And in all likelyhood we will be the vict.... uh, gracious hosts for the ravening horde. Lots of new babies showing up between then and now :eek: That's what we get for having a large house near the beach, with warm winters... Wait until the overflow folks see the hotel rates :rolleyes: There is the Ritz-Carlton, the St. Regis, and the Montage within 20 minutes or so if Palazzo Daneskjold.

 

But as a consolation prize we are now thinking SD in the Med in 2017, perhaps Spain/Portugal.

 

On another note, Mrs D has been organizing the photos from the tank museum and as part if that looked up all the various vehicles in order to caption the photos. She seems to have taken an interest in the subject. She even said we should visit the Bovington tank museum and "drop in on that nice ho-hum fellow" :D

Sounds like we could sneak in and you would never know we were there eating/drinking your stash. And our dog is little. Nice drive from here to there as well.:D

Did you mean "winter escape to the Caribbean"?

 

Speaking of which, we have had to cancel our SD trip planned for Christmas 2016. A large family confab is being planned for the week of Xmas/New Years then. And in all likelyhood we will be the vict.... uh, gracious hosts for the ravening horde. Lots of new babies showing up between then and now :eek: That's what we get for having a large house near the beach, with warm winters... Wait until the overflow folks see the hotel rates :rolleyes: There is the Ritz-Carlton, the St. Regis, and the Montage within 20 minutes or so if Palazzo Daneskjold.

 

But as a consolation prize we are now thinking SD in the Med in 2017, perhaps Spain/Portugal.

 

On another note, Mrs D has been organizing the photos from the tank museum and as part if that looked up all the various vehicles in order to caption the photos. She seems to have taken an interest in the subject. She even said we should visit the Bovington tank museum and "drop in on that nice ho-hum fellow" :D

Yes, silly Hum........winter escape to the Caribbean.

Palazzo Daneskjold this year it is........a lot of work though !

But what a lovely thing to do.......what a lovely couple you are (that or completely #%>€*).

Sorry to disappoint you but Hum cannot see any voyages around Portugal on SD. Barcelona to Nice, yes.

Yes Hum was wondering about those photos....Gawd how many are there ?

A visit !! Would love to have you both stay.

Would you do another jaunt to France ?

You had an amazing time last time and now you know how to drive in France.

Could recommend Champagne, Burgundy, Rhone, Provence: all in a line.

Eazey-peazey.....But not in August.

Fly back from southern France to London.

Pick you up, stay and take you to airport.

Would love to join you for the tank museum but Hum is washing his hair that day !

Sounds like we could sneak in and you would never know we were there eating/drinking your stash. And our dog is little. Nice drive from here to there as well.:D

Rumour has it Jim, that Raggy is also building a "super-duper" wine cellar.

We are bound to be invited to the great opening !

Besides you two are practically "family", don't be surprised if the invitation arrives in the post any day now.

Check first whether he has finished that pool.

No point "slumming it" now is there ?

The satellite images Hum relies on are not simply not clear enough.

A bit of local info. On Google Earth, Casa Ragnar looks almost identical to Michael Jackson's Neverland. Easy to make the mistake.

A bit of local info. On Google Earth, Casa Ragnar looks almost identical to Michael Jackson's Neverland. Easy to make the mistake.

Haha.........brilliant Jim.

No rebuttal from the man himself.........so must be true.

Hum always had his suspicions.

But what of you Jimmy m'lad ......... reconnaissance satellite has just picked up a rifle shaped swimming pool over Arizona.......guessing it's you: set in a field of blue aguave plants.....oh and is that a still ?

Oh and Jim, please leave that "mankini" home when you join the ship......feeling a bit queasey...

But what of you Jimmy m'lad ......... reconnaissance satellite has just picked up a rifle shaped swimming pool over Arizona.......guessing it's you: set in a field of blue aguave plants.....oh and is that a still ?

Oh and Jim, please leave that "mankini" home when you join the ship......feeling a bit queasey...

Yes, the best Tequila in the County. But you must be looking at the wrong still.....My pool is bullet shaped. And OK on the "mankini".......Naked it is.:eek:

Yes, the best Tequila in the County. But you must be looking at the wrong still.....My pool is bullet shaped. And OK on the "mankini".......Naked it is.:eek:

Haha

Hum out-smarted....yet again !

Good one Jim.

HH - we'll be on SD2 out of San Juan on 2 January. Looking forward to seeing you and Blondie. Zimmy's DH

We'll be there as well!

Vandrefalk

A simple job, five minutes tops.

Yes I cut off the power and change the "breaker" to a more sensitive one.

You will then conform to current Electrical Regulations.

Said the electrician.

And so the process of replacement took the said five minutes.

But when power was switched back on everything blew !

We had visitors coming for coffee in an hour.

Blondie was baking a cake which Hum had totally forgot to warn her of the power loss. Oooops.

We tried switching on one circuit at a time but after a few were turned on...boom...off again and so on and so on.

The landline phones stopped.

The alarm panel flashed "NO POWER SUPPLY"

If this continued much longer the alarm would go off.

The police would be alerted and a heavily armed SWAT team would abseil down from helicopters to secure the perimeters of Hum's Wine Store and stun grenades would be lobbed through windows and potential suspects would be mown down in a hail of bullets !

If Blondie is quick maybe we could soak the antique carpets to prevent blood staining ruining them.

Frantically Hum tells the electrician to put the old "breaker" back in.

"But it wont comply with Regulations"

What !

Now Hum partially regrets what happened next when he used the term "muppet" as in: look you ruddy muppet, what is the frigging point of having an electrical system that does not err......supply electricity. Put the ruddy breaker back in now !

And so the chastened electrician reluctantly complied.

Hum made him a coffee (guiltily).

And power was restored albeit not conforming to the latest Regulation on one point.

A screech is then heard from the direction of the kitchen where Blondie has discovered her imploded cake.

At least meanwhile we have cancelled the planned visit.

The electricians boss arrives and after a thorough inspection and testing, he comes up with a solution.......but it is going to be expensive.

No kidding.

But you will be fully compliant.

Whooopee-do !

PS Yes they are SD friends (the ones that intended to visit). And very good friends too. We met them on their honeymoon on SD and now they have two young children (which they dont think is right to bring on SD for both their children's sake and for the comfort of guests). So now Hum and Blondie are sort of "uncles and aunts"

That wine cellar must be putting a tremendous strain on your power supply.

My suggestion ... Drink faster!

That wine cellar must be putting a tremendous strain on your power supply.

 

My suggestion ... Drink faster!

Ahaaah !